The Israelites' request for Moses to be their go-between was not a sign of rebellion, but of a healthy fear and an awareness of their own unworthiness before a holy God. Commentators note that God approved of this request because, as Albert Barnes states, the 'terrors of Sinai had done their work; they had awakened the consciousness of sin.' This event highlights humanity's need for a mediator to stand before God, a role ultimately fulfilled by Christ.