1 Kings 7-9

In 1 Kings 8 we read what happened upon the completion of Solomon's temple. All the furniture, new and old, was brought into the building, and set in their places. Last of all the priests carried the ark of the covenant into the most holy place. As they were walking out the door of the temple a cloud was passing in, through the same doorway. I imagine that the cloud rushed in. The cloud, the shekiah of God, filled the two inner rooms of the temple. Verse 8:11 notes that the priests were unable to carry out their responsibilities because of the cloud. Did you ever consider why? Did God tell them to stay out? Did he put up a "keep out" sign when the cloud went in?
Did they decide to stay out? Was it their reverence that dictated that people should not walk where God's presence hovered? Or were they fearful of what might happen if they entered that place? That they would see God or the cloud would suffocate them.
Was it because the cloud was so thick that they just couldn't see to do what they had been assigned?
A second question I have, which scripture doesn't answer is; did God desire for them to be in the temple with his cloudly presence? Or did he want them outside so that he could clean the inside of the sanctuary?
God frequently used a cloud as an interface between himself and his people. Beginning when Israel left Egypt the weather was the same everyday; it was 40  year of partly cloudly. Imagine the Israeli daily forecast; mostly sunny except for one glowing cloud. Rainy today and one cloud that is closer and dry. On the mountain with Moses there was a cloud. And when the Tabernacle was finished the cloud rushed into the tent (Exodus 40:34-35). Moses didn't go into the cloud either. Even though he had walked into the cloud on the mountain top (twice). 
I wonder if the cloud was to be a visible reminder of God's desire to interact with people? If it is should they have stayed outside the cloud or walked in?
Stuart