Days, Months, Times and Years Galatians 4:10 - Equipped for Battle

Paul the apostle has wondered how the church members in Galatia could return to regimented ways of the traditions and laws of God once they tasted the grace of God. He knows that Judaizers have come in with pernicious doctrine that has thwarted some from their simple faith in Jesus' substitutionary work on the cross, however, Paul cannot believe that they would follow these teachers. Paul referred to these former works as the “weak and beggarly elements” and in chapter four and verse ten he specifies what some of these elements are. He wrote:

You observe days, and months, and times, and years.

In the Jewish law, there were certain holy days, holy months, holy times and holy years. God Himself appointed these days as special to the tribe of Israel during Moses' day. The people of Israel were to follow the tradition of passover, the Sabbath day, the new moons, the feast of the passover, the feast of tabernacles, and other feast times. If they did not keep them, according to the law, they were to be ostracized and rejected in the form of damnation. Today we might deem Christmas and Easter as those kind of days.

Paul's contention was that they were observing these days only because these law promoters were telling them to observe them. Remember, the Galatians were gentiles, and they were not used to keeping these holy days. Jesus was the fulfillment of the holy days, months, times and years as they all pointed to Him. Once Jesus arrived on the scene, kept the law of God perfectly, and died on the cross as a fulfillment of the punishment of sin, there was no need for these days to be kept. Jesus is our Sabbath, and Jesus is our passover. Jesus is the reason for the new moons and other feasts, and when we align ourselves with Him by trusting in, relying upon and clinging to Him, we have all the times and observances completed in full.

Paul's idea here is not that holy days are not important. They are, however, we are not to worship the holy days and times, but rather worship Jesus who fulfilled all these days, months, times and years. When we think about it long enough, we will realize the blessedness we have when simply have faith in Jesus Christ. By His grace, all these other things are accomplished.

Next time Paul will show his concern over working in vain, so read ahead, and let us join together then.

Until tomorrow...there is more...

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