Why did God do something different and call Abraham after Babel?
After Babel’s language confusion, later generations became totally steeped in idolatry, even Abraham’s father Terah serving other gods in Ur. Therefore God did something different: He called Abraham out from that idolatry. Abraham became the man of faith, and God then left off dealing with Gentiles to deal with Jew only, with exceptions.
Les teaches that after God scattered the people by confusing the languages at Babel, another 175 to 200 years passed until the whole new generation was steeped in idolatry. God therefore said He would have to do something different. Out of the idolatry in Ur of the Chaldees—where even Terah, Abraham’s father, served other gods—God called out the one man Abraham. Abraham became the great man of faith. At that point God left off dealing with the Gentiles or non-Jew and began dealing with Jew only, but with exceptions. Les points to Nineveh as a primary Old Testament exception, where God sent Jonah to the Gentile city, though Jonah resisted; the Ninevites repented, then soon returned to their old ways. From 2000 B.C. onward into the New Testament, God primarily dealt with the nation of Israel, Jew only, based on the covenants and promises made with Abraham, until John the Baptist and Christ appeared to fulfill the Abrahamic promises, which that generation rejected and crucified.
Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
More Questions
How did Abraham respond when God told him to leave his country and family?
Abraham obeyed God's command to leave, and he did it in response to faith.