How constantly was Israel under the burden of the Law before the Faith Way?
Israel was under the burden of the Law constantly—24 hours a day—before the Faith Way. The Law rested on their shoulders, and they knew no liberty, only constant fear, because violations such as picking up a stick on the Sabbath brought death, not a minor penalty. They were kept shut up under it until faith was revealed.
Les explains that the Law was like a burden loaded on the shoulders of the people under it. Before the Faith Way, Israel was not occasionally under Law but constantly—24 hours a day—and they knew nothing of liberty, only constant fear of it. He illustrates this with the Sabbath: if they picked up a stick, the result was death, not a slap on the wrist. Israel was kept shut up under that burden until the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Les also notes God’s progressive revelation: He did not tell everything upfront, and Israel went 1,500 years under the Law before He progressively revealed the doctrines of grace.