Notice the connection between "obscurity" and "dust" in the verse (they are used in parallel). They are both things we are told to "come forth from" or "arise from" (which is really interesting to me).
Also notice the connection to darkness and filthiness -- obscurity refers to darkness and dust has definite connections to being dirty. This post discusses the connections between nakedness/filthiness/darkness/captivity/cursing/rebellion, etc., all of which are code words for breaking the covenant.
Here is a list of other "negative code words":
- 17 "cut off and destroyed"
- 21 "captivity"
- 22 "sore cursing"
- 22 "eternal destruction"
- 23 "chains"
The chapter also contains several "positive code words" associated with keeping the covenant:
In verse 10, Lehi says:
10 But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord—having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise—behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the true Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.I see a temple/covenant theme in the bolded phrases. There are more:
- 15 "I have beheld his glory"
- 15 "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love"
- 25 "sought the glory of God, for your eternal welfare"
It seems like all of these themes are connected. Lehi is asking his sons to be faithful to the covenant. It makes a lot of sense to me in this context that when the Lamanites rebelled from the covenant, the Nephites would have quickly taken to referring to their darkness, nakedness, and filthiness as a way of pointing out their wicked choice.