A vary astute observation my friend. You just showed me something in a little different light than I had sen before, thank you for that.
I do agree that Israel didn't understand what they were given, as is made even more clear when looks at the Rabbinic Law that soon followed. Don't get me wrong I am not putting them down, as I understand they were trying to DO, as they said they would.
just as I understand that is why HaShem said,
Hos 6:6
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
As we know, mans laws become the law of the land. To the point that if one was to speak with a Gentile, they could be killed. Once more pushing aside what Israel was suppose be doing. They were meant to be a light unto the world, kind of had to do when you try to stop all contact with the out side world.
Yes they were to be alight to the Gentiles but they did not get it and did not continue in the covenant given to Abraham.
I find this passage interesting when Moses repeats the commandments of the Lord:
Deu 5:1 And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them.
Deu 5:2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.
Deu 5:3 The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.
It says that the Covenant made at Horeb was not the covenant made with our fathers. As I understand it the reason is that the did not continue in the covenant made with the Fathers so God gave them a different covenant. He also says here:
Eze 20:25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
God gave them statutes and judgements that were not good because they were carnal, they did not walk in the faith of Abraham. This is not in respect to the 10 commandments which are good as the context shows and as is said again here:
Neh_9:13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
This is in reference to law such as this one that was because they were still carnal:
Mat 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
Mat 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses
because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
So God gave some laws and statutes and judgements that were to help govern carnal hearts but were not good because good ones in this case is this:
Mat 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
The reason God gave them these less than perfect laws was because of the hardness of their hearts as it says:
Eze 20:21 Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; they polluted my sabbaths: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
Eze 20:22 Nevertheless I withdrew mine hand, and wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted in the sight of the heathen, in whose sight I brought them forth.
Eze 20:23 I lifted up mine hand unto them also in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the heathen, and disperse them through the countries;
Eze 20:24 Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.
Eze 20:25 Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live;
Why did they fail? because they did not have faith in God but tried to work their own righteousness as Paul observed:
Rom 9:30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
Rom 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
Rom 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
Rom 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
So it is that the problem was not the good laws that God gave but rather the method Israel tried to attain.
Of Abraham it is said:
Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
So then it was by faith that Abraham was made righteous. Had Israel followed after their Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob/Israel. They would have been a law to the world and God would not have had to spell it out. They would have been transformed. They would have all become living temples to the Most High God. The law seen in their lives and words and deeds. Just as Abraham obeyed though He did not have a written copy of the law.