How does Edwards describe the four steps of the Israelites' destruction in the sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God?

• 1) The Deuteronomy quote is a metaphor, comparing walking a slippery path to living with sin and error. Both the Deuteronomy quote and a quote from Psalms support the idea that the Israelites were always in danger, as is anyone walking in a slippery place.

• 2) The use of this particular metaphor in the Biblical text implies that a "fall" can happen suddenly, without warning, because this is how falls generally happen in real life. Edwards supports this interpretation with another quotation from Psalms.

• 3) Just as in real life, no outside force is required to cause a fall--a person's own weight, whether literal or the metaphorical weight of sin, is enough to cause a fall.

• 4) The inclusion of the definite "shall" and the phrase "in due time" implies that a fall is a definite outcome, but only when God withdraws His support and allows the fall to happen, as a part of His plan.