David Diga Hernandez - Symbols of the Holy Spirit: The Cloud

You know, I’ve heard tremendous stories about many great men and women of God, but one of those who has inspired me the most is a woman by the name of Katherine Coleman. I know people personally who have actually been in her meetings, and there are eyewitness accounts where this woman of God would walk out onto the platform. As she began to lead the people in worship, really she was just worshiping, but many eyewitnesses report seeing a physical, visible cloud appear right there on the platform with her. This was not a one-time occurrence; there are many different stories like this regarding this great woman of God, Katherine Coleman. Now, I by no means am trying to elevate this woman beyond where she should be elevated, but we should be inspired to know that the presence of the Holy Spirit could envelop us like that cloud. You know, whenever you see the cloud in the Old Testament and in some instances in the New Testament, you’ll see that the cloud holds or carries or conceals the presence of God or the presence of Jesus, the Word. Only those who step into that cloud can actually see or experience the fullness of the glory of God; the cloud holds the glory. Exodus chapter 24, verses 15 through 18 say this: «Then Moses climbed up the mountain, and the cloud covered it. The glory of the Lord settled down on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days. On the seventh day, the Lord called to Moses from inside the cloud. To the Israelites at the foot of the mountain, the glory of the Lord appeared at the summit like a consuming fire.» Then Moses disappeared. I love that Moses disappeared into the cloud as he climbed higher up the mountain; he remained on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights. Now, there is a lot that we can glean from this one portion of Scripture, but I want to point out to you what I just said and how it is reflected here in this portion of Scripture. The cloud concealed the presence; the cloud concealed the glory. As Moses ascended the mountain, he stepped into the cloud, and when he stepped into the cloud, he discovered the glory of God. The cloud is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Those who walk in the Holy Spirit, those who search the depths of God by the Holy Spirit, come to know the glory of God. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of the glory of God. Now, Moses spoke with God in that cloud. Exodus chapter 34, verses 32-35 say this: «Then all the people of Israel approached him, and Moses gave them all the instructions the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he covered his face with a veil. But whenever he went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he would remove the veil until he came out. Then he would give the people whatever instructions the Lord had given him, and the people of Israel would see the radiant glow of his face. So he would put the veil over his face until he returned to speak with the Lord.» So in that cloud, Moses received a glow. In the cloud is the glow of the glory, and when you go into the cloud, when you walk in the Holy Spirit, you begin to radiate the glory of God. The cloud also represents guidance. In Exodus chapter 13, verse 21, the Bible says, «The Lord went ahead of them. He guided them during the day with the pillar of cloud, and he provided light at night with the pillar of fire.» This allowed them to travel by day or by night. Now, wherever the cloud would go during the day, the children of Israel would go. When the cloud would stop, the children of Israel would stop, and they would camp. In the same way, the Holy Spirit guides our spiritual lives. He provides direction and clarity for the path ahead as we follow the presence of the Holy Spirit, as we go with Him wherever He leads in our lives. Sometimes He’ll keep us moving, and other times He’ll say, «Rest here and remain and abide.» The Holy Spirit guides us through all different seasons of life, and in that cloud, we find our guidance. The priests, when ministering, experienced that manifestation of the cloud. That cloud that appeared actually prevented them from being able to perform their priestly duties. In 2 Chronicles chapter 5, verses 13-14, the Bible says, «It came even to pass as the trumpeters and singers were as one to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord. When they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music and praised the Lord, saying, 'For He is good; His mercy endures forever, ' that then the house was filled with the cloud, even the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of God.» I want you to notice here that worship precedes the covering of the cloud. The Bible says that when the trumpeters and the singers were as one, when they made their sound as one, when they lifted their voices and their instruments of music as one to worship God, then the cloud appeared. The Scripture tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people. When we begin to glorify Jesus, the Holy Spirit shows up. The Holy Spirit is attracted to any atmosphere where Jesus is being glorified. Why? Because that’s one of His tasks—to glorify Jesus, to point to Jesus.