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? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. (Gal 4:9-11)
I wonder why Paul was afraid for those who kept days?
Well, let's just see why...
Gal 4:3 Even so we, when we were children,
were in bondage under the elements of the world:
We all know that the Ten Commandments were spoken by God on Mt. Sinai and were not elements of the world.
Gal 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
What does it mean to be redeemed?
redeemed:
G1805
ἐξαγοράζω
exagorazō
ex-ag-or-ad'-zo
From G1537 and G59; to buy up, that is, ransom; figuratively to rescue from loss (improve opportunity): - redeem.
Christ did this by dying for us, He paid the price, shed His blood for our guilt.
Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
We are no longer children of the Devil or the world, no longer servants of the world, rather sons and heirs of God thanks to Christ.
Gal 4:8 Howbeit then, {b]when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
So, prior to their calling to the truth, they served false gods that were no gods.
Gal 4:9 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?
Paul was admonishing them for returning to the false beliefs that they held prior to conversion, such as...
Gal 4:10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
The Diaglott has it as this...
Gal 4:3 So also we, when we were children, under the rudiments of the world we were having been enslaved;
Gal 4:8 But then indeed, not knowing God, you were enslaved to those by nature not being gods;
Gal 4:9 now but, having know God, more and having been known by God, how do you turn back again to the weak and poor rudiments, to which again as at first be in subjection you wish?
Gal 4:10 Days you watch narrowly? and moons and seasons and years?
From Bullingers...
Gal 4:3 So we also, when we were children, were enslaved under the elementary rules of the world:
Galatians 4:3
Even so we = So we also.
in bondage = enslaved. Greek. douloo App-190.
elements = elementary rules. Greek. stoicheion. Here, Gal_4:9. Col_2:8, Col_2:20. Heb_5:12. 2Pe_3:10, 2Pe_3:12. Compare Rom_2:14, Rom_2:15.
world. Greek. kosmos. App-129.
In every case the word elements (rudiments) means the beginning principles. The beginning principles of what?
Gal 4:3 So we also, when we were children, were enslaved under the
elementary rules of the world]:
Bullingers App-129:
App-129
Companion Bible
Appendix #129
129. THE SYNONYMOUS WORDS FOR
"WORLD", "EARTH", ETC.
There are four Greek words which are thus translated; and it is most important that they should be, in each occurrence, carefully distinguished. They are as follows :--
1. kosmos = the world as created, ordered, and arranged. Hence it is used in the LXX for the Heb. word rendered "ornament". See Exo_33:5; Exo_33:6. Isa_49:18. Jer_4:30. Eze_7:20, &c. It denotes the opposite of what man has called "chaos", which God never created. See notes on Isa_45:18 and Gen_1:2 : for the Heb. bara' means not only to create, but that what was created was beautiful. The root, meaning to carve, plane, polish, implies both order and beauty. Cp. Ap. 146.
So we are talking about the rudimentary principles of the worldly society around us.
If you are going to lift verses out of context and twist them, be careful...
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given to him wrote to you;
2Pe 3:16 As in all his epistles also, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable strain, as they do [in] the other Scriptures also, unto their own destruction.