Help with Gal 4:10-11

[Carl Emerson]

Gal 4:

10
You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

What was Paul referring to, and are we still in danger of doing this today?

 

[mlepfitjw]

Good morning Carl Emerson. That depends on if that is what the flesh is focused on, this morning doing the harder truths on Galatians 5 about the natural self. Our natural self, and the spirit we are given are constantly battling each other.

 

[klutedavid]

Gal 4:

10
You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

What was Paul referring to, and are we still in danger of doing this today?

These days, months, and years, can be none other than the legal observances specified in the law. The Galatians put themselves under the law and that was the subject of Pauls' letter to the Galatians.

Galatians 3:5
So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

Galatians 3:10
For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

Gal 4:

10
You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

What was Paul referring to, and are we still in danger of doing this today?

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!…

You were slaves to those who by nature are NOT gods....they were pagans. Now you know the true God but you are returning to the old pagan ways...

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

These days, months, and years, can be none other than the legal observances specified in the law. The Galatians put themselves under the law and that was the subject of Pauls' letter to the Galatians.

No, he is saying they now know the True God so why are they going back to their pagan ways...

 

[Llewelyn Stevenson]

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!…

You were slaves to those who by nature are NOT gods....they were pagans. Now you know the true God but you are returning to the old pagan ways...

Having reads the whole of Galatians I think that it is unlikely that Paul is simply talking of them going back to their gentile roots because he keeps tying this conversation back to the Law, and in particular, Paul's bugbear: circumcision.

However I do see that Paul is likening the religious observation of days and seasons to the idolatry they once knew. "Once you worshipped idols of stone and precious metal and now you worship days and seasons in the same manner."

CHrist is Lord of all so let us trust in him only.

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!…

You were slaves to those who by nature are NOT gods....they were pagans. Now you know the true God but you are returning to the old pagan ways...

Absolutely!

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Gal 4:

10
You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

What was Paul referring to, and are we still in danger of doing this today?

GALATIONS 4:4-11[4], But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, [5], To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. [6], And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. [7], Therefore you are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. [8], BUT THEN, WHEN YOU KNEW NOT GOD, YOU DID SERVICE UNTO THEM WHICH BY NATURE ARE NO GODS. [9], BUT NOW, AFTER YOU HAVE KNOWN GOD, OR RATHER ARE KNOWN OF GOD, HOW TURN YOU AGAIN TO THE WEAK AND BEGGARLY ELEMENTS, TO WHICH YOU DESIRE AGAIN TO BE IN BONDAGE? [10], YOU OBSERVE DAYS, AND MONTHS, AND TIMES, AND YEARS. [11], I AM AFRAID FOR YOU, LEST I HAVE BESTOWED UPON YOU LABOR IN VAIN.

GALATIANS 4:8-11 [8] Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? [10] YE OBSERVE DAYS, AND MONTHS, AND TIMES, AND YEARS. [11] I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

Note: Galatians 4:8-11 is speaking of those who observe times before they became Christians turning back to those things and god's before they were Christians.

DEUTERONOMY 18:9-11 [9] When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.[10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, OR AN OBSERVER OF TIMES, or an enchanter, or a witch,[11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Note: The same thing goes on to this very day. Its speaking of the occult. Those who observe certain days by use of horoscopes?

2 CHRONICLES 33:3-6 [3] For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.[4] Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.[6] And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: ALSO HE OBSERVED TIMES, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger

Note: Enchantments, witchcraft, familiar spirits, and wizards. Its speaking of the occult.

LEVITICUS 19:26-30 [26] Ye shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantment, NOR OBSERVE TIMES.[27] Ye shall not round the corners of your heads, neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.[28] Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.[29] Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a harlot; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.[30] YE SHALL KEEP MY SABBATHS, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

I guess this scripture says it all. You shall not observe times BUT you will keep my sabbaths.

Paul is also showing in Galatians 3 to Galatians 5 that returning to the old covenant laws (Levitical Priesthood, animal sacrifices and sin offerings and earthly Sanctuary) and seeking justification and salvation through the works of the law, without regards to faith in Christ holds the same weight as those gentile believers who return to the bondage of sin before they came to Christ as in the case of the Jews.

Hope this helps.

 

[Dave G.]

Of course we can do these things today, make the mistake of following religion in sacrifices and by strange works of ourselves and stuck in traditions of old testament teaching.. That's the implication to us .We are free of that, so were the Galatians till they got beguiled. Plenty of churches today have doctrines of the law as if the veil was never torn to the holy of holies. Maybe I'm not explaining it well but I can see grace not being grace clearly for our days, not just the Galatians..

 

[LoveGodsWord]

Grace is not a license to sin *1 John 3:4 (break God's law) it is for obedience to the faith *Romans 1:5

 

[Sabertooth]

My first impression was that they resumed pagan rituals & holidays, et al.
The Classic Amplified Bible seems to bear this out,

9 Now, however, that you have come

to be acquainted with and understand and know [the true] God,
or rather to be understood and known by God,​

how can you turn back again
to the weak and beggarly and worthless elementary things

[of all religions before Christ came],​

whose slaves you once more want to become?

10 You observe [particular] days and months and seasons and years!*

11 I am alarmed [about you], lest I have labored among and over you to no purpose and in vain.

*It is a bit of an indictment against our own pagan-based "holidays," although Paul, himself, used the pagan "altar to an unknown god" to launch one of his sermons [Acts 17:16-34]. But he used that object. He did not venerate it...

 

[disciple Clint]

Gal 4:

10
You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

What was Paul referring to, and are we still in danger of doing this today?

This should clear up any questions you have. What does Galatians 4:10 mean?

 

[LoveGodsWord]

This should clear up any questions you have. What does Galatians 4:10 mean?

Oh goodness please...

The context is to the Galatians returning to paganism before they were Christian...

GALATIANS 4:8-11 [8] Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? [10] YE OBSERVE DAYS, AND MONTHS, AND TIMES, AND YEARS. [11] I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

DEUTERONOMY 18:9-11 [9] When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.[10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, OR AN OBSERVER OF TIMES, or an enchanter, or a witch,[11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Note: The same thing goes on to this very day. Its speaking of the occult. Those who observe certain days by use of horoscopes?

2 CHRONICLES 33:3-6 [3] For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.[4] Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.[6] And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: ALSO HE OBSERVED TIMES, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger

Hope this helps.

 

[disciple Clint]

Oh goodness please...

The context is to the Galatians returning to paganism before they were Christian...

GALATIANS 4:8-11 [8] Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.[9] But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? [10] YE OBSERVE DAYS, AND MONTHS, AND TIMES, AND YEARS. [11] I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.

DEUTERONOMY 18:9-11 [9] When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.[10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, OR AN OBSERVER OF TIMES, or an enchanter, or a witch,[11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

Note: The same thing goes on to this very day. Its speaking of the occult. Those who observe certain days by use of horoscopes?

2 CHRONICLES 33:3-6 [3] For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.[4] Also he built altars in the house of the LORD, whereof the LORD had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.[5] And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.[6] And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: ALSO HE OBSERVED TIMES, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger

Hope this helps.

and your authority for saying that?

 

[Victor in Christ]

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!…

You were slaves to those who by nature are NOT gods....they were pagans. Now you know the true God but you are returning to the old pagan ways...

well explained. It was the same with the Israelites/Jews in the OT. The minor and major prophets had to preach the same thing to them over and over again.

 

[1an]

Gal 4:

10
You observe days and months and seasons and years.

11 I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain.

What was Paul referring to, and are we still in danger of doing this today?

The Galatians were observing the Jewish calendar with its Sabbaths, its festivals, and seasons. Paul worried for those who profess to be Christians, yet seek to find favor with God by legal observances. Even the unsaved can observe days and months and years. This is religion and not Christianity. Some people think that by observing the ancient festivals and living a good life, they will go to heaven by their own efforts. This is a work based fallacy, and it implies that man can work his way to heaven without a saviour. Instead, they seek holiness by observing Jewish legal observances and traditions introduced into Christianity from Judaism with a humanly ordained priesthood, distinctive vestments for the priest, Sabbath-keeping, holy places, candles, holy water, and so forth.
.

 

[Victor in Christ]

The Galatians were observing the Jewish calendar with its Sabbaths, its festivals, and seasons. Paul worried for those who profess to be Christians, yet seek to find favor with God by legal observances. Even the unsaved can observe days and months and years. This is religion and not Christianity. Some people think that by observing the ancient festivals and living a good life, they will go to heaven by their own efforts. This is a work based fallacy, and it implies that man can work his way to heaven without a saviour. Instead, they seek holiness by observing Jewish legal observances and traditions introduced into Christianity from Judaism with a humanly ordained priesthood, distinctive vestments for the priest, Sabbath-keeping, holy places, candles, holy water, and so forth.
.

They may have been observing Jewish days and months and seasons and years. We know Barnabas and John Mark separated from Paul and Silas at Antioch. Barnabas fell back twice under pressure from some Jews (who were more zealous in keeping the law, the seasons) rather than putting their faith in Christ as their Saviour and then obey the law (10 commandments)

There's also a case to be made that the Galatians were observing their own pagan days and months and seasons and years and worshipping their gods of wrath, rather than the true Jehovah (Christ) of forgiveness and mercy.

 

[1an]

They may have been observing Jewish days and months and seasons and years. We know Barnabas and John Mark separated from Paul and Silas at Antioch. Barnabas fell back twice under pressure from some Jews (who were more zealous in keeping the law) than putting their faith in Christ as their redeemer.

There's also a case to be made that the Galatians were observing their own pagan days and months and seasons and years and worshipping their gods of wrath, rather than the true Jehovah (Christ) of forgiveness and mercy.

I did not know the Galatians were worshiping their own gods of wrath. Thank you. How bad can it get!

You know what, when I think of all the cults, I don't think there will be very many in heaven.
.

 

[paul1149]

Virtually the entire letter to the Galatians is contra Judiazation of the faith. Specifically, the Galatians were buying into the idea that they had to be circumcised before they could be Saved - IOW, they had to become Jews first, then Christians. And Paul is dead set against that.

The small apparent allusion to their previous pagan ways here is uncertain. There is no guarantee he is referring directly to pagan ways, because the "those" that the NIV renders in v 9, referring to weak and beggarly ways, is merely the article, o, simply meaning "the", as just about all other versions render it. It likely then is a more broad allusion to any of the old ways. It seems to me Paul equating the Galatians' ready embrace of Judaism to that of their previous pagan religion. After all, he will soon go on to make the brutal analogy of Hagar the bondwoman to the present day natural Jerusalem. No wonder the Jews hated Paul so virulently! He's in effect saying all the old religious ways are dead and worthless; if you want to know God you must know Him through Christ alone. To go back to the old ways, whether pagan or Jewish, is wrong.

This passage has its parallel in the letter to the not too distant city of Colossae, which was having a similar problem. There (2.16) the context perhaps could again be applied either way, but seems more strongly focused on Hebrew feasts.

 

[Dave G.]

Grace is not a license to sin *1 John 3:4 (break God's law) it is for obedience to the faith *Romans 1:5

Grace is also no longer grace if you are going to observe the old customs for salvation. Galatians 5:4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. And Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.