What did Paul mean when he said the Galatians observed days, months, times, and years?
Paul meant the Galatians were reverting to legalism by observing days, months, times, and years—a sign of weakness. Pagans and Israel observed such days, and Israel's economy was regulated by new moons, Sabbaths, and feast days. Believers are not under any particular day or celebration.
Les explains that these Galatian believers were turning back to the weak and beggarly things, which shows what the law was from man's point of view. The law was perfect, absolute, and righteous from God's point, but weak and beggarly from man's because it had no power to help people keep it. Paul says their observance was a sign of weakness and a going back under legalism. Les notes that not only pagans but Israel observed days, months, times, and years; Israel's whole economy was based on new moons, holy days, high Sabbaths, regular Sabbaths, and was regulated according to moons and signs. Paul asks if they are going back into that same stuff. Les emphasizes that believers are not under any particular day, feast day, or celebration day, because the gospel is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who takes up where the law leaves off, so we do not need the law.
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
More Questions
Who practiced observing days, months, times, and years in Bible times?
Observing days, months, times, and years was not only a pagan practice but an Israelite one, since the whole Israeli economy was based on new moons and holy days such as the high Sabbath and the regular Sabbath, with everything regulated according to the moons and signs.