What Jonah Teaches Us About God’s Mercy For Muslims

August 22, 2025

“But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Johan 4:3

The book of Jonah is one of the most remarkable stories in the Old Testament. Too often we reduce it to a Sunday school lesson about a man swallowed by a giant fish, or we hear sermons that focus only on the consequences of disobedience. But this book is far more than that. It’s a story that takes us straight into the very heart and character of God. Yes, surviving a three-day staycation inside a living creature is a miracle, but so is an entire city repenting because one righteous man showed up. Now that’s a real miracle.

People often point to the Old Testament and say God is a genocidal maniac who wipes people off from the face of the earth. But they fail to recognize how many times YHWH showed mercy to people in the Old Testament when they did not deserve it. And the book of Jonah is a prime example of that.

At the same time, I truly relate to Jonah. I understand why he was upset with God for saving people who had lived immoral lives and completely rejected Him. Jonah is fair, and he is trying to make sense of God’s justice with his human mind. There are consequences to your bad decisions. If you did something wrong, you must pay for it. You must suffer.

But that’s not the point of the story. This book is not about justice. It’s about God. He is teaching us in Jonah about who He is: a God whose mercies extend even to those we secretly wish wouldn’t receive them.

That’s the difference between human beings and God. He loves His creation—all of it. Even those who reject Him, He still pursues. And He calls His bride, the Church, to co-labor with Him. He asks us to love and forgive our enemies, a task that sometimes feels impossible. He asks us to serve, to turn the other cheek, and to bless those who persecute us. That’s radical, and it goes against every human instinct for justice. But that’s the Gospel. The Kingdom of God is unlike this kingdom. It’s upside down; if you want to be first, you must be last; humility comes before honor; and you must nail your flesh to the cross every day.

We must walk out our salvation with fear and trembling because the enemy comes through unbelievers to shake our faith. And when he’s done attacking one area of your life, he’ll move on to the next. His goal is to drive you into despair because he knows if he succeeds, you’ll eventually give in and stop pursuing sanctification.

Jonah was in despair, that’s why God let him suffer three days in the belly of the whale, to wake him up. I sympathize with Jonah, but I also understand the Lord’s heart. He had to do it.

I relate to Jonah. I often find myself lamenting to God, asking Him to take me, because sharing the Gospel with the Muslim community drains me emotionally and mentally. I tell myself, Why do I care if they know the truth or not? People choose to go to hell every day. But then I remember where I came from. Conviction returns, and I repent. I ask the Lord for strength to keep sharing the Gospel with those whom He loves.

He reminds me that my fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the demonic powers behind Islam.

Islam is one of the greatest deceptions in the world. It has led, and continues to lead, billions of people astray. It is a powerful deception that requires wisdom, fasting, and prayer to confront. Those in the West who are worried about Islamization are not wrong to be concerned, but Christians in the West are partly to blame. The Church here has abandoned its first love, Jesus, and instead turned to worship mammon and itself. Individualism will destroy the West long before Islam will. Nevertheless, Christians must minister and serve the Muslim community.

But before Christians can effectively engage in spiritual warfare against the spirit of Islam, we must first address several internal issues within the body of Christ.

Fear-mongering

I think we have produced enough online content that “educates” but mostly instills fear in Christians about Islam. That doesn’t help. It just fuels more fear and hate with no solution in sight. Yes, it’s important to educate believers on what Islam teaches, but it should come from a place of vigilance and compassion, not fear. Education should inspire the body of Christ to act, not to cower.

Debating with Muslims

As tempting as it is, debates rarely lead anywhere. Trust me. I have spent 24 years doing it. Not once has a theological debate been the thing that brought someone to Christ. In fact, the enemy often uses it to trap you in endless arguments over which text is legitimate. That’s a war you will never win unless God Himself opens their eyes. I’m not saying never engage in dialogue, but know this: it will be mentally exhausting. Many times, you will feel like you’re talking to a toddler who refuses to reason. Logic will go out the window, and you might get a sense that you have been robbed of your intellect. Don’t do it if you’re not spiritually prepared.

Spiritual and Biblical Immaturity

Western churches have been obsessed with the prosperity gospel, numbers, tithes, offerings, fog machines, and celebrity pastors for decades. Meanwhile, true discipleship has been neglected. We have created a generation of believers who don’t stand for anything. They barely influence the world in meaningful and effective ways. Why are our churches packed every Sunday, yet our neighbors, the oppressed, the poor, the widows, the orphans, and the marginalized remain neglected? Why are we focused on business plans, book deals, fashion, coaching programs, and social media numbers while forsaking the very essence of our faith: love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves?

It’s time for the Church in the West to wake up. We need to fight spiritual battles with spiritual means, and that requires taking our sanctification seriously. Loving your enemy is not easy. Fighting spiritual battles is not easy. Islam can only be confronted and overcome through the power of the Spirit of God. This is the call of Christ. And we must be faithful.

And please don’t wait for a whale to swallow you before you start obeying God.

Fariza