Nephi is talking about how the Lord blesses those that are righteous and does not bless (or even destroys) those who are wicked. He then explains to his brothers that the Israelites were good enough at one point to finally obtain a promised land. In the land that the Lord wanted them to inherit, there were people that were wicked. Therefore, the Lord felt that they needed to be destroyed and then the Israelites could dwell there.
In verse 36, Nephi also explains that the purpose of the creation of the Earth was for man (and women), the Lord's greatest creations, to inhabit it. He delights in raising up righteous nations. However, there are times where He must destroy wicked ones. If there are groups of people that can multiply to righteous nations, He leads them away to precious lands. If they do not follow Him, then He curses the land for their sake. (We will see this with the nations of the Nephites and Lamanites.)
He rules from the heavens which are high above the earth, and the earth is His footstool. This last sentence is from verse 39. It struck me as something interesting. What does it mean? Why would Nephi put it in and phrase it so? Perhaps we need to know that that is the nature of the Lord.
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