8108. And by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light. That this signifies that when there was a state of obscurity, it was tempered by enlightenment from good, is evident from the signification of "night," as being a state of obscurity (see n. 1712, 6000); from the signification of "fire," as being the good of love (n. 934, 4906, 5215, 6314, 6832, 6834, 6849, 7324, 7852); and from the signification of "giving light," as being enlightenment. That Jehovah or the Lord appeared or went before in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night, was because thereby was represented the state of heaven, for in heaven there are never-ceasing variations and changes of state; for the angels are continually being perfected, which cannot possibly be done without unceasing changes of states. In general these variations and changes are like the changes of times in the world; namely, the changes of the times of the year; spring, summer, autumn, winter, and again spring; and the changes of the times of the day-morning, noon, evening, night, and again morning. When it is morning and noon in heaven, there is enlightenment of the understanding from the Lord, but this enlightenment is then tempered by obscurity of truth as by a cloud; and when it is evening and night there, they have obscurity of understanding, but this is tempered by the Lord by means of the good of love, as by a fire which gives light. These are the things which were represented by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night with the sons of Israel in the wilderness.