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Observing times - the key to understanding
Galatians 4:10 “You observe days and months and times and years.”
Most interpret this to mean Gods feast days (Passover, Sukkot, Yom Teruah, the Sabbath, etc) and therefore we should not be observing these things. Any time you mention Passover, Tabernacles, the Sabbath, etc, the popular response is, “Paul said not to do those things”. However, what I'm going to help you understand the Hebrew mindset of Paul when he wrote that.
Pay close attention to what Paul says in verse 10. He says that they were observing days, months, times, and years. Did you catch part of that? Observing times? Where did this come from?
Lev 19:26 “You shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall you use enchantment, nor observe times.”
Deut 18:10 “There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,”
Deut 18:14 “For these nations, which you shall possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for you, the LORD thy God has not suffered you so to do.”
In case you didn't make the connection, “observing times” is referring to witchcraft, divination, soothsaying, and enchantments, and is clearly forbidden by God. He says not to do it.
2 Kings 21:6 ”And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”
2 Chronicles 33:6 “And he made his son 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 familiar spirits and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”
We know that the Galatians were former Gentiles that were involved in pagan practices, and serving other gods.
Galatians 4:8 “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.”
And now Paul wants to know why they are going back to that former lifestyle. Paul then says he is afraid for them, as if maybe he has suffered for them in vain because they are not listening to him and that he wants them to be more like him.
Now he’s going to ask a question, and it is directly tied to what he just said about observing times.
Galatians 4:21 “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?”
The Galatians had a desire to be “under the law”. What exactly does this mean? In context, this statement is directly tied to his previous statement about being in bondage and observing times. Since “under the law” and “observing times” are tied to one another, we could replace “under the law” with “observing times”, and it would look like this.
Galatians 4:21 “Tell me, you who desire to observe times, do you not hear the law?”
What was placing them under the law? They were observing times! Paul says that they have a desire to be under the law (by observing times), and then he asks them if they know what the law says about this. He then gives them an allegory, which has always been wrongly interpreted to say that the law brings bondage. This is not correct, as the context says the complete opposite. Sin brings bondage!
The Galatians had a desire to:
1.) Observe times (witchcraft)
2.) Be under the law
3.) Be in bondage
4.) Return to their former ways
5.) Observing times is sin, as you are breaking the law (disobedience) which places you under the law, which puts you into bondage. All of these things are tied to one another.
Conclusion
Galatians were returning back to their former practices of witchcraft, enchantments, and divination (observing times) and Paul could not understand why they wanted to do this. He tells them that by observing times, they are placing themselves under the law, as the law says not to do these things. “Under the law” would then mean that you are going to be judged by the law, because you are living in sin (disobedience). You are placing yourself under the judgement and condemnation of the law.
Galatians 4:10 “You observe days and months and times and years.”
Most interpret this to mean Gods feast days (Passover, Sukkot, Yom Teruah, the Sabbath, etc) and therefore we should not be observing these things. Any time you mention Passover, Tabernacles, the Sabbath, etc, the popular response is, “Paul said not to do those things”. However, what I'm going to help you understand the Hebrew mindset of Paul when he wrote that.
Pay close attention to what Paul says in verse 10. He says that they were observing days, months, times, and years. Did you catch part of that? Observing times? Where did this come from?
Lev 19:26 “You shall not eat any thing with the blood: neither shall you use enchantment, nor observe times.”
Deut 18:10 “There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,”
Deut 18:14 “For these nations, which you shall possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for you, the LORD thy God has not suffered you so to do.”
In case you didn't make the connection, “observing times” is referring to witchcraft, divination, soothsaying, and enchantments, and is clearly forbidden by God. He says not to do it.
2 Kings 21:6 ”And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”
2 Chronicles 33:6 “And he made his son 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 familiar spirits and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”
We know that the Galatians were former Gentiles that were involved in pagan practices, and serving other gods.
Galatians 4:8 “But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.”
And now Paul wants to know why they are going back to that former lifestyle. Paul then says he is afraid for them, as if maybe he has suffered for them in vain because they are not listening to him and that he wants them to be more like him.
Now he’s going to ask a question, and it is directly tied to what he just said about observing times.
Galatians 4:21 “Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law?”
The Galatians had a desire to be “under the law”. What exactly does this mean? In context, this statement is directly tied to his previous statement about being in bondage and observing times. Since “under the law” and “observing times” are tied to one another, we could replace “under the law” with “observing times”, and it would look like this.
Galatians 4:21 “Tell me, you who desire to observe times, do you not hear the law?”
What was placing them under the law? They were observing times! Paul says that they have a desire to be under the law (by observing times), and then he asks them if they know what the law says about this. He then gives them an allegory, which has always been wrongly interpreted to say that the law brings bondage. This is not correct, as the context says the complete opposite. Sin brings bondage!
The Galatians had a desire to:
1.) Observe times (witchcraft)
2.) Be under the law
3.) Be in bondage
4.) Return to their former ways
5.) Observing times is sin, as you are breaking the law (disobedience) which places you under the law, which puts you into bondage. All of these things are tied to one another.
Conclusion
Galatians were returning back to their former practices of witchcraft, enchantments, and divination (observing times) and Paul could not understand why they wanted to do this. He tells them that by observing times, they are placing themselves under the law, as the law says not to do these things. “Under the law” would then mean that you are going to be judged by the law, because you are living in sin (disobedience). You are placing yourself under the judgement and condemnation of the law.
