The Fountain of Living Waters

If one were to ask someone familiar with the story of the vision of the tree of life this question, “What element of the story represents the love of God?”, the answer would almost certainly be the tree or the fruit of the tree. There are indeed two things that represent the love of God, but the fruit is not one of them (as described in the text). Here is what Nephi wrote, “And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God” (1 Nephi 11:25). Both the “fountain of living waters” and the “tree of life” were a representation of the love of God. I’m not sure if this fountain that Nephi described is even recorded in Lehi’s version of the vision. Lehi said this: “I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.” I’m not sure if this fountain refers to the fountain of living waters or the other fountain that he subsequently mentioned: “And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building. And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads” (1 Nephi 8:20, 31-32). That clearly was a different fountain from the “living waters” and it likely connected the river of water. That river was filthy as Nephi explained to his brothers: “And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water” (1 Nephi 15:27). At any rate, I love the idea that at the tree of life was next to a fountain of living waters, both of them together representing the love of God (and offering both food and drink like the sacrament today).

                A few other passages speak of living waters in the scriptures. Jeremiah quoted these words of the Lord: “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). Here the Savior is the fountain of living waters, which is consistent with Lehi’s vision because He is also the personification of love. Jeremiah also wrote, “O Lord, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the Lord, the fountain of living waters” (Jeremiah 17:13). Once more the Lord Himself was referred to as the fountain of living waters. He was perhaps referencing these passages from the Old Testament when He spoke in mortality to the woman at the well. He said to her, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.” She responded to Him, “Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?” As the fountain Himself, He has unlimited living water to provide to us. He then declared, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10-14). As He hung on the cross, the Savior was without water, so much so that He cried out, “I thirst” (John 19:28). He was offered vinegar, a drink similar in color but totally opposite in taste and the ability to satisfy as water. Unlike what was given to Him, He spiritually offers us unlimited living waters to heal and ultimately save us. He is a fountain that will never dry up, and His love will always available to those who drink the water He gives.