And YHVH appeared in the tent in a pillar of cloud. And the pillar of cloud stood over the entrance of the tent.
#deuteronomy 31:15 #vayelekh

God rarely reveals himself to man directly. His presence is terrifying! So he appears in smoke, fire, etc. A direct encounter with God would destroy us, so he hides himself for our protection. I suspect we wouldn't believe our eyes if we saw him anyway, so we shouldn't be surprised that he uses stories, allegories, and parables to reveal himself in Scripture.