弃绝神
当神向亚伯拉罕显现时，他是在最黑暗的背景里。这背景的第一面是人弃绝了神。人弃绝神是由人造了一座城所表明。我们在第四章该隐的事例中己经看见这事。人因为失去神作他的保护，就造了一座城。因为人不再有神作他的保障，他就造了一座城来保护自己。所以造城是人弃绝神的标记。人似乎说，“让神去罢！我要造一座城来保护自己。”造城就是宣告人弃绝神。
高举人
人不仅弃绝神，他还造了一座塔来高举自己。塔是人高举自己的标记。人弃绝神的时候，自然就高举了自己。每当人造城的时候，他也就造塔来显扬自己的名。
否认神的主权
还有，人在巴别也否认神对祂所造之物的主权。人和地都是神造的，但人不承认神的主权，反而建立了邦国。邦国的建立，表明人否认了神的主权和权柄。正如我们所看过的，洪水之后，神给人权柄管理别人，但撒但使人滥用神所赐的这权柄成立邦国，叫人有自己的统治，否认神对人的主权和权柄。
事奉偶像
约书亚二十四章二节告诉我们，人在巴别从神转向偶像，转向别神。一切偶像的背后都是鬼魔。每当人敬拜偶像时，他就敬拜了鬼魔。表面上他是在拜偶像，事实上他是在拜鬼魔。
在神呼召人的背景中我们看见城、塔邦国和鬼魔。人已经弃绝神，高举自己，否认神的主权和权柄，并且从神转去事奉偶像。你相信今天的情形比较好一点么？我不相信。今天和已往一样坏，光景完全一样。
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The Background of God’s Calling
Forsaking God
When God appeared to Abraham, he was in the darkest background. The first aspect of this background was that man had forsaken God. Man’s forsaking of God was signified by man building a city. We have already seen this in the case of Cain in chapter four. Because man lost God as his protection, he built a city. Because man no longer had God as his safeguard, he built a city to protect himself. Therefore, building a city is a sign of man forsaking God. Man seemed to say, “Let God go! I will build a city to protect myself”. To build a city is to declare that man has forsaken God.
Exalting Man
Man not only forsook God, but he also built a tower to exalt himself. The tower is a sign of man exalting himself. When man forsakes God, he naturally exalts himself. Whenever man builds a city, he also builds a tower to make a name for himself.
Denying God’s Authority
Furthermore, at Babel, man also denied God’s authority over His creatures. Both man and the earth were created by God, but man did not acknowledge God’s authority; instead, he established a kingdom (or nation). The establishment of a kingdom indicates that man denied God’s authority and right. As we have seen, after the flood, God gave man authority to rule over others, but Satan caused man to abuse this God-given authority to form a kingdom, causing man to have his own dominion and denying God’s authority and right over man.
Serving Idols
Joshua 24:2 tells us that at Babel, man turned from God to idols, to other gods. Behind every idol are demons. Whenever man worships an idol, he is worshipping demons. Outwardly he is worshipping idols, but actually, he is worshipping demons.
In the background of God’s calling, we see the city, the tower, the kingdom, and demons. Man had forsaken God, exalted himself, denied God’s authority and right, and turned from God to serve idols. Do you believe the situation today is any better? I do not believe so. Today is as bad as the past; the situation is exactly the same.