In His wisdom, the Lord brings about the scattering, gathering, and separation of His children from time to time for the purpose of blessing them according to their faith and to enact judgment upon them according to their transgressions. In the case of the Lamanites, the Lord’s design was to separate them from the Nephites so that the latter would be protected from the false traditions of the former. The darkness becomes a sign of warning. At the same time, the Lord gives the promise that when false traditions are overcome and the people return to the pathway of the gospel, the sign will be removed and they will become a “pure and delightsome people” (see 2 Nephi 30:6–7).