God made a covenant with the Jews to be their god. What ever they asked he did. They asked for a human king and he allowed them a human king although he was supposed to be their king.
At Mount Sinai they asked for a pagan god. God simply gave them what they asked for. God had said if they would have kept their part of the covenant they would have been a holy nation and a kingdom of priests (ex 19:5&6). To make holy is the definition of sanctify.
John 17 : 17 "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."
2 PETER 1 : 21 "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke FROM GOD as they were carried along by the SPIRIT."
The Jews never listened to the prophets and thus never knew the truth about God.
The second part of the covenant said they would be a kingdom of priests. In the second chapter of Malachi God admonishes the Jews for never doing what priests are supposed to do. They were supposed to stand in awe of his name. Don't fall for the uneducated Christian church and think that saying his name in some reverent manner is what is meant. Name in Hebrew means one's character. Just go to EXODUS 34:6. Moses asks God his name and God tells him His character. The verses in Malachi said to be a priest they were supposed to educate and preserve the knowledge of his character. God said they didn't keep their part of the covenant.
JEREMIAH 13 : 11 "For as a belt is bound around a man's waist, so I bound the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to me,' declares the Lord, 'to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened."
ISAIAH 46 : 11 "What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do."
God had planned for Israel to introduce his character to the world. Since they didn't do it, Jesus came as a Jew under the law to fulfill the covenant. He redid the steps of the Jews. He was taken into Egypt and came out and then spent 40 days in the wilderness. He came to show the character of God.
JOHN 5 : 43 "I have come in my Father's name (character), and you do not accept me"
JOHN 13 : 15 "I have set you an example that you should as I have done for you."
The disciples were supposed to fulfill the covenant as Jesus had.
1 PETER 2 : 9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a people belonging to God, THAT YOU MAY DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS into his wonderful light."