Jonathan Edwards
1703 - 1758

     Jonathan Edwards is considered one of the greatest intellects America ever produced, yet he is perhaps best known for a single sermon he preached entitled "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Is this one of the great ironies of history, or could it be both fitting and prophetic? The first and second Great Awakenings were sparked by movements of profound repentance. The Scriptures are clear that God does get angry, but He tends to warn those who have provoked Him before He takes action. If they repent, He is quick to forgive. Is He angry now?

     In a time of growing Deism and religious ambivalence, Edward’s sermon was considered to have sparked the flames of the First Great Awakening. His life was a message showing how real wise men still seek the Lord, and that understanding His judgments is true intelligence.

     Born to a family devoted to learning, Edwards entered Yale University at just twelve years old. He was deeply influenced by John Locke's “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” and he developed a love for the natural sciences. The natural sciences turned many toward Deism, but they had the opposite affect on Edwards. He became a more devoted seeker of Christ and His salvation. In his last year of undergraduate study, he had a transformational experience in which he was “born again.”

     After graduation, he studied theology for two years. During this time, his understanding of nature as a special message from God deepened. He came to view his love of creation as the result of his love for the Creator. He maintained this view throughout his life. He balanced his knowledge of the goodness of God with the Lord’s severity toward the sin destroying mankind. This strong moral compass was a hallmark of his life.

      As a Calvinist associated with Congregationalists of Puritan heritage, Edwards followed a resolute plan for personal discipline as he matured. He believed in sobriety, a strict diet, and not wasting time. He also maintained a schedule that included thirteen hours of study a day. For this reason he was considered “a scholarly pastor, not a visiting one.” His great love of knowledge led him to become a renowned preacher, revivalist, theologian, and philosopher. He is still considered one of the greatest thinkers of all time. This remarkable and powerful combination of discipline and knowledge was likely the single greatest influence on the First Great Awakening.

     Edwards oversaw some of the first revivals in American history from 1733–1735 at his church in Northampton, Massachusetts. Because of the deep conviction of sin that accompanied revival, many began to attack it as fanaticism. If Satan cannot stop a move of God, he will often get behind it and try to push it too far. This seemed to happen in the first revival, and spiritual tragedies caused it to fade. However, news of what had happened went as far as England and Scotland, catching the attention of several emerging preachers. The American colonies seemed to them as a fruitful harvest field.

     Though the first wave of revival did not last long, Edwards remained a great lover of and apologist for revival. He saw the potential of revival for transforming lives and changing society. Ever in pursuit of understanding, Edwards studied the converted “in great psychological detail,” seeking to better understand human behavior and the divine illumination of the soul that brought redemption and restoration.

     When George Whitefield began his preaching tour of the colonies in 1739-1740, he found an ally in Edwards. Whitefield had a remarkable impact on the colonies. Benjamin Franklin befriended the evangelist and published all of his sermons on the front page of his newspaper. Soon general consideration of the things of God and man’s responsibility to Him permeated New England. Whitefield’s preaching reminded Edwards of the revival, and he and those who had experienced it began to long for it again.

     It was in this climate that the 1741 revival broke out. Many credit its beginning with Edward’s most famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Reportedly, he read this sermon by the light of a candle, in a monotone voice. This is likely true as it’s in keeping with Edward’s systematic style of following logical points in his messages. It may have been delivered in a dry monotone, but such conviction came upon those who heard it that their cries of anguish could be heard far away, drawing others to the site. A profound conviction of sin swept throughout the region as the revival spread as far south as New Jersey. 

     Opposition again arose because of the perceived emotionalism, demonstrated by outcries, convulsions, and even fainting, known today as “slain in the Spirit.” Edwards defended these as legitimate responses to the move of the Holy Spirit upon a soul, and published a defense of them in The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God. His main argument in favor of the revival was the great moral improvement of the country.

     This great moral improvement was an obvious result of the First Great Awakening. Revivals broke out in various places, and each would last for a year or two. The Awakening itself lasted for decades and became like a great and steady rain that gradually raised the spiritual water tables of the land. Great colleges and universities were birthed and provided preachers and pastors for a country increasingly absorbed by the things of God.

     At the same time, John Wesley’s Methodist movement spread throughout England. The great Moravian missionary movement also took root in the southern colonies and began to spread around the world. Many positive influences contributed to the spiritual DNA of the developing nation that became the United States, but Jonathan Edwards may have had the greatest impact. He resolutely preached the sure consequences of sin, but always concluded with the great love of God demonstrated by His sacrifice for sin on the cross. To Edwards, the deeper the convert’s conviction of sin, the greater their dependence on the cross and love for the Savior that guided their life. 

     At the turn of the 20th century, A.E. Winship traced the descendants of Jonathan Edwards up to one hundred fifty years after his death. He also tracked the descendants of Max Jukes, a contemporary of Edwards and a noted criminal. The results provided a remarkable testimony of the power of legacy.

Jonathan Edwards’ legacy included:
One U.S. Vice-President
Three U.S. Senators
Three Governors
Three Mayors
Thirteen College Presidents
Thirty Judges
Sixty-five Professors
Eighty Public Office Holders
One Hundred Lawyers
One Hundred Missionaries

Max Jukes’ descendants included:
Seven Murderers
Sixty Thieves
Fifty “Women of Debauchery”
One Hundred Thirty other Convicts
Over Three Hundred Paupers (with over two thousand years lived in poorhouses)
Four hundred physically wrecked by indulgent living

It was estimated that Max Juke’s descendants cost the state more than 1.2 million at the time.

A few of Edward’s popular books include:

The End for Which God Created the World
The Life of David Brainerd
Religious Affections
The Advancement of Christ's Kingdom on Earth
Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God