5219. 'And behold, it was a dream' means in that obscurity. This is clear from the meaning of 'a dream' as a state that was obscure, dealt with in 1838, 2514, 2528, 5210. The word obscure is used because truths have been banished; indeed where there are no truths obscurity exists. The light of heaven flows solely into truths, that light being Divine Truth received from the Lord, the source of truths residing with angels and spirits, and with men too. They are subsidiary lights; but they derive their light from Divine Truth through the good present within those truths. For unless truths are rooted in good, that is, unless truths have good present within them, they cannot acquire any light from the Divine. They acquire it through good, for good is like a fire or flame, and truths are like lights radiating from it. In the next life there are also some truths that shine which are devoid of good; but the light shining from them is a wintry light which turns into thick darkness on the arrival of the light of heaven.

[2] From all this one may now see what is meant here by obscurity, namely a natural state when facts that are good are banished by those that are useless. Such obscurity is one that can receive a general enlightenment, 5208, 5218. But obscurity caused by falsities can by no means receive any enlightenment, for falsities are so many masses of darkness which blot out the light of heaven and in so doing bring obscurity which cannot be lightened until those falsities have been removed.

2528. 'God said to him in the dream' means a perception that was less obscure. This is clear from what has been stated and explained above in 2514. The reason why in this chapter the name 'God' is used but not 'Jehovah', except in the last verse, is that spiritual matters, that is, matters of doctrine concerning faith, are the subject. For when spiritual matters are referred to, the name 'God' is used, but when celestial matters, that is, love and charity, are dealt with, the name Jehovah' is used, see 709, 732, 2001.