1 Nephi 22:9-12

As the gospel goes forward, it will be of worth to both the gentiles and the house of Israel.  Nephi would later write, “And the things which shall be written out of the book shall be of great worth unto the children of men, and especially unto our seed, which is a remnant of the house of Israel” (2 Nephi 28:2). 

And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews.

And it shall come to pass that my people, which are of the house of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also shall be gathered in one.  And I will show unto them that fight against my word and against my people, who are of the house of Israel, that I am God, and that I covenanted with Abraham that I would remember his seed forever.

2 Nephi 29:13 - 14

The covenants made with God and Abraham will also be known to all.  When speaking to the Nephites, the Savior said:

And behold, ye are the children of the prophets; and ye are of the house of Israel; and ye are of the covenant which the Father made with your fathers, saying unto Abraham: And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

And after that ye were blessed then fulfilleth the Father the covenant which he made with Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed—unto the pouring out of the Holy Ghost through me upon the Gentiles, which blessing upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty above all, unto the scattering of my people, O house of Israel.

3 Nephi 20:25, 27

Victor Ludlow explains Nephi’s powerful words.

One powerful example illustrates Nephi's teachings about covenants. In 1 Nephi 22, Nephi is teaching his older brothers after having just quoted Isaiah (chapters 48 and 49). The brothers of Nephi then pose some hard questions, asking essentially, "What is the meaning of these Isaiah scriptures you have just read to us?" Answering, Nephi describes how these passages contain promises for their descendants. Starting in 1 Nephi 22:7, he tells them "that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up . . . Gentiles . . . upon the face of this land," who would scatter their seed. Then the Lord would proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, yea, which would be of great worth unto them and all the house of Israel, "unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham" (1 Nephi 22:9).

Nephi tries to help his brothers appreciate that the future work of the gentiles would bless not only their own descendants in America, but also the whole house of Israel, through whom all the peoples of the earth could be blessed.[1]

Nephi explains, “all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations” (1 Nephi 22:10).  Noel Reynolds explains what is meant when the Lord says He will “make bare his arm.”

What does it mean to "make bare his arm"? Is it a strange kind of statement? Does Nephi mean like on the beach, kind of to show off his muscles? Why is it not already bare? Is God not there? Does he not already have his power? Well, I think His power will become more visible. The truthfulness of this gospel will become more evident as God unveils His arm, as He makes His arm bare, and His mighty work will become more convincing, more clearly the work of God in these last days. Nephi returns to this many times. He says, "Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations" (v. 11). God is going to show everybody who he is and that this is his work, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.[2]

When the Lord bares His arm, he will do it to bring “his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel” (1 Nephi 22:11). 

[Nephi] develops the accounts that are given him, to his father Lehi, to Isaiah, and to other prophets, which accounts talk about a future day in which the Lord will "[make] bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations" (1 Nephi 22:10—11). Until that time, the Lord is working through people, and people can say, as Laman and Lemuel say, "You are not inspired. The Lord is not speaking unto you. You are making this up. Joseph Smith did not receive revelation"—whatever you want to say. But the day will come, according to these prophecies of Nephi, Lehi, and others, that the whole world will be able to see that these claims are valid. The Lord will "make bare his arms in the eyes of all the nations," for though the nations of the world may combine against the saints of God who are scattered throughout the earth, as Nephi reports in his vision, the power of God will at that time descend on His faithful people, and they will be protected by His power. They will be saved, even if necessary, as by fire.[3]

Richard Dilworth Rust further explains:

Just as the brass plates had been essential to the cultural and spiritual preservation of the Nephites, so the Book of Mormon finally is necessary to the spiritual preservation of Lehi's living descendants. They are brought "out of captivity" and "out of obscurity" by being given the Lord's "covenants and his gospel" (1 Nephi 22:11–12) as promised in the title page of the Book of Mormon.[4]

The house of Israel will be brought out of captivity and gathered again in the “lands of their inheritance” (1 Nephi 22:12).  They will be “brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel” (1 Nephi 22:12).

… Nephi not only answered his brothers' questions, but also gave the New Testament student a definitive statement of interpretation to Paul's reference. In the latter days, the fulness of the gospel would come to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles would then take it to the house of Israel. This would cure the blindness, for as Nephi further taught, "They shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is the Savior and their Redeemer, the mighty One of Israel" (1 Nephi 22:12). Nephi not only answered his brothers' questions, but also gave the New Testament student a definitive statement of interpretation to Paul's reference. In the latter days, the fulness of the gospel would come to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles would then take it to the house of Israel. This would cure the blindness, for as Nephi further taught, "They shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is the Savior and their Redeemer, the mighty One of Israel" (1 Nephi 22:12).[5]

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[1] Covenant Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Victor L. Ludlow, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 6, 2013.

[2] Book of Mormon, Teachings Nephi II, Noel B. Reynolds, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 6, 2013.

[3] Book of Mormon, Teachings, Noel B. Reynolds, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 6, 2013.

[4] "Great Things the Lord Hath Done" - Epic Elements, Richard Dilworth Rust, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 6, 2013.

[5] The Book of Mormon, An Interpretive Guide to the New Testament, Dennis Largey, Provo, Utah: Maxwell Institute, accessed May 6, 2013.