The darkness in this verse evokes the image at the end of 2 Nephi 18 at the beginning of chapter 19. Yahweh’s wrath will cause the darkness. The fire imagery from verse 18 reappears. Previously the imagery focused on the land; here the focus is on the people. In addition to the literal deaths by fire caused during war, it seems likely that this image also refers to the far-distant future. In the proximate sense, the burning is destructive. Seen as a prophecy of the events of the end of time, the burning cleanses the people in preparation for the Messiah’s coming (Mal. 3:2; Matt. 3:10–12, 13:38–40; Luke 12:49; Rev. 16:8).