Special Days

Galatians 4:9-10 - But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!

Leviticus 16:29-30,34 - "This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: On the tenth day of the seventh month you must deny yourselves and not do any work—whether native-born or an alien living among you-because on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins…"This is to be a lasting ordinance for you: Atonement is to be made once a year for all the sins of the Israelites." And it was done, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Conclusions:

• Legalistic trust in rituals, in moral achievement, in law, in good works, or even in cold, dead orthodoxy may indicate a relapse into second childhood on the part of those who should be knowing and enjoying the freedom of full-grown sons
• Special days are days such as the Sabbath and the Day of Atonement, which had never been, and can never be, in themselves means of salvation or sanctification
• Months and seasons are New Moons, Passover and Firstfruits
• Years are sabbath years
• The Pharisees meticulously observed special days, months, seasons and years to gain merit before God
• On the Day of Atonement the repentant Israelite was assured of sins forgiven
• Christ's sacrifice was once for all, not once a year.

Application:

• Do you legalistically trust in rituals?
• Are you assued of sins forgiven?
• Christ's sacrifice was once for you?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible