What was our condition under the Law before faith came?

Before faith came, we were kept under the Law, burdened and shut up, with no alternative way of escape, until the faith that should afterward be revealed. The Law held us in custody, as it were, because the secret of God's grace had not yet been disclosed.

Les explains that before the Faith Way came, people were kept under the Law. It was burdensome, and they were shut up—meaning there was no ulterior way out—until the faith which should afterwards be revealed. He connects this to the revelation of the mystery, or secret, which had been hidden in God from the beginning of the world. That secret is made known in Paul's apostleship, as in Ephesians 3:9. Before it was revealed, the Old Testament had not spoken of God going to Gentiles with the Gospel of the Grace of God.

Galatians 3:23

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

How long were people kept under the Law before faith came?

People were kept under the Law until the Faith was afterwards revealed, but the passage does not specify a number of years. The text describes them as shut up under the Law, burdensome, with no way out, until the faith came. The mystery had been hidden from the beginning of the world, or ages, or Adam.