It's interesting, just as a side note, that the way they arranged all the tribes, if you were to have a drone view, you would see the Tabernacle where the cloud was on, and it's the center of a cross. If you get the numbers of the tribes and work it out, it turns out it's actually a cross from the air. It looks like a cross, very much like the cathedral when Queen Elizabeth had a funeral. If you look down from the top, it's in the form of a cross. It's taken from the old Testament, from the pattern of the camp of Israel. When they camped, they camped in the form of a cross.
How would they know when to move, or where to move? Very simple. When the cloud was taken up from above the Tabernacle, after the children of Israel would journey, and the place the cloud settled, there they would place their tents, at the command of the Lord. They would journey at the command of the Lord, and as long as the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle, and they remained camping there. When the cloud continued long, many days above the Tabernacle, they kept the charge of the Lord, and didn't travel. When the cloud was above the Tabernacle, a few days, according to the command of the Lord, they remained decamped. According to the command of the law, they would journey. Whether it was two days (verse 22) or a month, or a year, if the cloud remained, they would remain encamped and not journey. When it was taken up, they would journey.
This is what it was like for Israel every day. When you got up, the cloud of God's presence is there, standing like a mighty pillar, shimmering with gold, a spectacular sight. Some days the cloud would come up, and it would begin to move. When they saw it moving, everyone had to pack up their tent, we're on the move. When the clouds stop moving, that's where the camping site is. God provided the camping site. They'd stop, put up the tents.
If they didn't follow the cloud, what would happen? No covering; no protection; no provision; you would be isolated from the body of God's people, and what they're doing. You would not enter your destiny, if you did not follow the cloud - very, very important. A spectacular thing to see, must've been wonderful to see it. Imagine standing there, looking at God himself, in a flaming pillar of fire, and He's going to lead us and guide us. How awesome is that?
The cloud was the tangible presence of God. Staying under it meant provision, protection and connection to the people of God, and your destiny. It forms the pattern, that God desires His people to be led by the spirit.
Here's the thing, the guidance in the Old Testament was external and visible. You could see it with your eyes. Wonderful thing. However, God's ultimate plan was we would be led by the spirit, but it would be invisible, and internal. External/visible; internal/invisible.
You say: I wish I had the cloud! I'd much rather have that! Well, that would be called being led by sight, rather than by faith. In the New Testament, there's a transition from external guidance to internal guidance; where the spirit comes and lives within you, and now you become gathered, and we become dispersed, and God goes with us everywhere we go. In the previous set up, the Tabernacle was only in one place. Now, God's presence can go everywhere in people. That's a much better plan.
We still want the old one where we can see it, but God wants you to understand, His plan is that you be led by the spirit - the invisible presence of God within you; not by something you can see, or feel, or looks favorable, but led by the spirit within. Those who are led by the indwelling spirit - they are the sons of God, and thats why being led is a continual lifestyle.
When you get into the New Testament, you find with Jesus, He follows this pattern. Jesus was led by the spirit.
Luke 4:1 - "Then Jesus being filled with the holy ghost, returned from the Jordan, and then he was led by the spirit into the wilderness... (where he had a season of fasting and prayer and preparation)".