maybe this will help (a repost of mine):
when the bible refers to the "Angel of the Lord", often, it is referring to the One we know as the Christ.
moses talked to the One we know as Jesus and here's proof from the bible!
John 1:1(NKJV)
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
word, strongs G3056
G3056
λόγος
logos
log'-os
From G3004; something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension a computation; specifically (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (that is, Christ):account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say (-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.
He that speaks came to this world in the flesh jn 1:14!
now, look at this:
Hebrews 2:7-9(NKJV)
7 You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, And set him over the works of Your hands.
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him.
9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.
moses didn't see the face of God in glory! (ex 33:20-23), you have to remember that when He appeared in His Glory, He often hid Himself in a thick black cloud!
notice this:
Exodus 24:9-11(NKJV)
9Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
10and
they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.
11But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand.
So they saw God, and they ate and drank.
now, compare to:
John 1:18(NKJV)
18No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
(Who declared Whom?)
John 6:46(NKJV)
46Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.
1 John 4:12(NKJV)
12No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
so, who did moses and the others see? i think it's safe to say it wasn't the Father!
moses talked to the One we know as Jesus and here's proof from the bible!
exodus says they saw God and 1jn says no one has seen God. there can be no contradiction.
so, the One we know as Jesus is the answer!
i definitely haven't found any scripture that suggests it was God's Holy Spirit.
now here's more scripture for proof!
Exodus 14:19-20,24(NKJV)
19And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of
cloud went from before them and stood behind them.
20So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a
cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night...
24Now it came to pass, in the morning watch, that the Lord looked down upon the army of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and cloud, and He troubled the army of the Egyptians.
the phrase "Angel of God" is referring to God and not some angel. the Angel of God in this instance is the one we know as the Christ.
now check this out!
Exodus 24:15-16(NKJV)
15Then Moses went up into the mountain, and a
cloud covered the mountain.
16Now
the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the
cloud covered it six days. And on the seventh day
He called to Moses out of the midst of the
cloud.
God talked to moses from the cloud. so, we know who's in the cloud. from the verses that john wrote, i.e. jn 1:1,18, we know this could not be God the Father.
Exodus 33:9-10(NKJV)
9And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of
cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and
the Lord talked with Moses.
10All the people saw the pillar of
cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and
worshiped, each man in his tent door.
Numbers 14:14(NKJV)
14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are among these people; that
You, Lord, are seen face to face and
Your cloud stands above them, and
You go before them in a pillar of
cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.
can't get much clearer on Who's going before the COI in a pillar of cloud!
and now the "coup de gras"!
1 Corinthians 10:1-4(NKJV)
1Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the
cloud, all passed through the sea,
2all were baptized into Moses in the
cloud and in the sea,
3all ate the same spiritual food,
4and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them,
and that Rock was Christ.
the bible says it was Christ Who spoke to moses!
"and that Rock was Christ"