THE RETURN TO BONDAGE
Galatians 4:8-11
By Voy Wilks
1980
“Howbeit then, when ye knew not Yahweh, ye did service unto them which by nature are no deities. But now, after that ye have known Yahweh, or rather are known of Yahweh, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain.”
Many people believe:
Most Galatian believers were Gentiles, although there is indication that some were Jewish. Naturally Jewish saints continued to observe the law. They were obligated to do so, since no portion of the law was ever to become void, or to pass away (Mt. 5:17-19; Lk. 16:17). However, the law of Moses is not under consideration in Galatians 4:8-11. Then what was this bondage to which the Gentile members longed to return? Let us consider the evidence. Only then can we give a correct answer. Please notice verse eight in the Revised Standard Version.
“Formerly, when you did not know Yahweh, you were in bondage to beings that by nature were no deities; but now that you have come to know Yahweh … “
“Formerly:” before they came to know Yahweh, the Elohim of Israel. Paul did not speak of Jewish brethren, for from early childhood every Jew knew Yahweh. This means Paul addressed Gentile believers; those “who did not formerly know Yahweh;” those who formerly had worshipped idols – beings which were not really deities at all. Other versions confirm this.
“But formerly, when you knew not Yahweh you were in bondage to elohim that have no real being …” (Conybeare & Hawson).
“In those days when you were ignorant of Yahweh, you were in servitude to elohim who are really no elohim at all …” (Moffatt).
“Before you Gentiles knew Yahweh you were slaves to so-called deities that did not really exist … “ (Fay).
So the truth is, in earlier life these people never knew the true Elohim, Yahweh. The objects of their worship were not deities at all, and especially not the One True Elohim. It was by Paul’s preaching that they came to know the One True Elohim. It was by Paul’s preaching that they came to know the One True Elohim, Yahweh. Before Paul’s arrival they worshipped (were in bondage to ) idols which were the work of men’s hands: objects of wood, stone, silver and gold; carvings which were worshipped as deities. Notice again how the Fay Version says it: “Before you Gentiles knew Yahweh …” Paul spoke to Gentiles in particular, not to Jews: Gentiles who were “slaves to so-called elohim that did not really exist. How can you turn back again to the weak and beggarly elemental spirits … “ (Verse 9).
Was the Mighty One of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob a weakling? Was the Mighty One of Yahshua a beggarly fellow? Was he an “elemental spirit?” No, my friend. None of the above. The Elohim of Yahshua was the same Yahweh whom Abraham, Moses and Eliyah worshipped: a Mighty One of power and majesty, but filled with loving kindness and tender mercy.
The elements are the basic properties from which everything is made. So then, the “elemental spirits” were the basic products (properties) of the earth; things carved by man from material elements and worshipped as deities. This Scripture, then, cannot be referring to Yahweh as an “elemental spirit,” nor to the law of Moses, but to the idols of the Gentiles whom the Galatians had formerly worshipped. There was a desire to return to that base idolatry, and to once again be in bondage to those so-called deities which were made of the material elements of the earth by the hands of men. The Norley Version gives an interesting translation of verse nine.
“But now, after you have learned to know Yahweh, or rather, after Yahweh came to know you as his own, how can you turn back to the weak and helpless elemental false elohim, whose slaves you want to be once more?”
When we summarize these two verses we can see why Paul feared he had labored over them in vain. The Galatians worshipped
Verse Ten
Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.”
Is this a condemnation for the observance of the Sabbath, the festivals of Yahweh, and the Sabbath years; and therefore a condemnation of the law of Moses? Many will answer yes, but the correct answer is no. There are at least three reasons why verse 10 is not referring to any law which Yahweh gave through Moses.
Reason #1. To Be Observed Forever.
Past (Ex. 31:12-17).
Present (Heb. 4:9, 10 RSV & Lamsa).
Future (Isa. 66:23, Ezek. 46:1, 3).
Past (Lev. 16:29-31; 23:5, 6, 14, 21, 31, 34, 41).
Present (1 Cor. 5:7, 8; 16:8; Acts 20:6, 16).
Future (Ezek. 45:17; 46:9; Zech. 14:16-18).
Past (Ps. 119:86, 144, 152, 160; Ex. 40:15).
Present (Mt. 5:17-19; Rom. 3:31; Rev. 14:12).
Future (Lk. 16:17; Ezek. 44:24; Jer. 33:18).
Reason #2 – Worship to Idols.
As noted above (Gal. 4:8, 9), the Galatians worshipped idols before they learned of Yahweh, the Mighty One of Israel. Since they did not formerly know Yahweh and his laws, it is certain they did not in former days keep the Sabbath, the festivals, and the law of Moses. Therefore it is safe to conclude they could not return to keeping them.
Reason #3 – Divining by the Clouds.
In addition to observing days, months, and years, the Galatians also “observed times.” What is meant by this? “Observing times” was an ancient mysticism – a mixture of witchcraft and astrology; and was against the law of Yahweh. Turn to Leviticus Chapter 19, where the Great Lawgiver was in the process of delivering his law to Moses. [Please keep in mind that only four chapters over (in Lev. 23), he delivered the laws concerning the everlasting Sabbath and the festivals. IT is likely that both chapters were delivered to Moses within the same twenty four hour period. Since chapter 23 was given last, nothing in chapter 19 can in any way cancel the Sabbath and the festivals named in chapter 23.] So the Almighty instructed Moses,
“Ye shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall ye use enchantments, nor observe times” (Lev. 19:26).
Young’s Concordance does not list this word times, but it does list “Observe times, to.” The Hebrew word is anan, and means to “observe the clouds.” Four other references are given.
Deut. 18:10-12. “There shall not be found among you anyone that makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all these things are an abomination …”
Deut. 18:14. “For the nations which thou shalt possess, harkened unto observers of time, and unto diviners; but as for thee, Yahweh thy Elohim hath not suffered thee to do so.”
2 Kings 21:6. “And he [Manasseh, verse 1] 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 Yahweh …”
2 Chr. 33:6. “And he [Manasseh, verse 1] caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom; also he observed times, and used enchantments … he wrought much evil in the sight of Yahweh to provoke him to anger.”
So there it is. Twice it is recorded that King Manesseh of Jerusalem “observed times,” and was very evil. Three times the law warns Israel (and us) not to “observe times.” Adam Clark’s Commentary is no help with Galatians 4:10, but comes through clearly in explaining the above mentioned Scriptures, as follows:
Lev. 19:26. “An observer of times … Ye shall not divine by clouds, which was also a superstition much in practice among the heathens, as well as divination by the flight of birds.”
Deut. 18:10, 14. “Observe times … One who pretends to foretell future events by present occurrences, and who predicts great political or physical changes from the aspects of the planets, eclipses, motion of the clouds, etc., etc.” (Vol. 1, page 785).
2 Kings 21:6. “An observer of times … He practiced divination by the clouds, … “ (Vol. 2, page 556).
We see that King Manasseh worshipped the hosts of heaven (that is, the sun, moon, and stars), and did other terrible things. The clouds were considered to be the expressions of the deities; therefore, by observing the heavens they could (supposedly) learn the secrets, the pleasures and displeasures of the many deities, and – most important of all – what the future held.
Now we can see clearly that the law of Moses is not under consideration in Galatians 4:8-11. Instead, the Galatians were inclined to backslide into weekly, monthly, and yearly rites and festivals in honor of their former deities of earth and sky. The Phrygian religion was most popular, and was zealously promoted in the districts of Galatia, Lydia, Lyconia, and Phrygia, an area known today as Turkey.* At times these religious rites were wildly ecstatic and sensuous. The pig was the proper sacrifice, though sometimes humans were offered as well. The chief deities were Cybele and Zeus. Cybele was the mother of deities, her Greek name being Artemas (Dianna in the KJV, Acts 19). She was sometimes depicted as nurse maid for Bacchus. Zeus, the son of Cybele, was considered king of all the deities.
Conclusion
It is no surprise that the Apostle Paul was afraid of them, lest he had labored over them in vain.
*Cybele: Taken from the book,
A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology
By Michael Stapleton
Bell Publishing Company, NY
1958, Pages 43 & 59