Why did Israel fail under the law, and what were they still in bondage to?
Israel failed under the law because of unbelief, and legalism destroyed their incentive, leaving them unable to keep it. They were still in bondage under the elements or workings of the world around them, laboring under that yoke for about 1,500 years from the giving of the law until Christ.
Les explains that Israel failed miserably, and it was always because of their unbelief. Nevertheless, they were in bondage under the elements or the workings of the world around them. He notes Abraham was called out of Ur at 2,000 B.C.; about 490 years later Moses led them out of Egypt, and God gave the law. From the giving of the law to Christ at zero, Israel labored under that yoke of bondage about 1,500 years. Les says it is no wonder they were in such rank unbelief; many simply gave up, thinking they could not keep it anyway. Legalism, he explains, destroys incentive, as people under abject teachings say they cannot measure up. Even God's covenant people repeatedly fell into abject sin and unbelief because they could not hack it or keep the law. Then verse 4 begins with "But," pointing to the flip side; without it, we would be back where they were.
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:
More Questions
How long was Israel in bondage under the elements of the world before Christ came?
Israel, God's covenant people, spent about 1,500 years in bondage under the elements or workings of the world before Christ came.
What does it mean that Israel was in bondage under the elements of the world in Galatians 4:3?
Israel, when they were children under the law, were in bondage under the elements of the world, just as the Greek and Roman child was under the rule of a tutor.