The Holy Spirit not only comes like a storm upon us blowing, but as a cloud overshadowing.
A cloud is used to symbolize the Spirit of God also in the OT.
The blowing wind in
Ezekiel 1 brought the overshadowing
cloud. This cloud should remind us of God's presence coming down lead the Israelites in
Exodus.
" And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of CLOUD moved from before them and stood behind them.
And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. And th CLOUD was there with the darkness, yet it gave light by night to them. Thus one did not come near the other all night." (Exodus 14:19,20)
The Holy Spirit is the reality of the pillar of cloud leading and protecting the children of Israel as they go out of Egypt. It is a light to the people of God. It is a separation of the people of God and the worldly people, in principle, if we obey Him.
It is interesting that the worldly people see darkness. But to the people of God He is a guiding light.
We really have in this chapter of Exodus the Triune God. Jehovah, the Angel of Jehovah, and the pillar of cloud which was a guiding light. God looked down from within the pillar of cloud.
"And at the morning watch Jehovah looked down upon the camp of the Egyptians in the pillar of fire and of cloud and threw the camp of the Egyptians into confusion." (v.24)
The
Angel of God (v.19) went before the Israelites. This is the SENT ONE and signifies Christ. The pillar of fire before them leading them as a shining cloud is the Holy Spirit. And God the Father as Jehovah looked down upon the Egyptians in the cloud.
These are symbols of the operation of the Triune God in His economy.