1 Nephi 2:8-10 -- The Fountain of all Righteousness

In verse 8 Lehi names the river that the family is camping near. By naming it "Laman", we see that Lehi has a definite affection for his oldest son. Lemuel also gets special consideration by having the valley named after him. Nephi and Sam receive no such special treatment. I could see a father in that culture truly desiring his oldest son to become the primary heir of the family. Lehi must have been pained by the murmuring sons and wanted to do everything he could to help them.

Lehi uses the symbolism of the river running into the Red Sea when he tells Laman, "O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!" Laman had a desire to run back to the destruction that awaited a wicked Jerusalem. Lehi was trying to change his attitude.

I think it is interesting how Lehi compares the Red Sea to the source of all righteousness. Where does all righteousness come from? My first thoughts are Jesus Christ and his atonement. The "Red" Sea brings to my mind the blood that Christ shed from every pore to provide the atonement for all humanity. Their family was running from the wicked world they lived in, towards the Red Sea. What direction are we headed in? Are we "continually running" to Christ? We see not only the direction we should be headed, but that we should be "running" in that direction. Hurry. Not only do we see the direction we should be headed and the urgency which we should have, but we also see how we are to run: "continually". Non-stop. Always. Do we have to casual an attitude in life about these things? If so, we must repent. I feel repentance is exactly what Lehi is encouraging us to do continually. The Red Sea that Christ shed for us is truly the source of our righteousness. Without the atonement we would be trapped in an existence of bondage to unrighteousness. Don't head in the wrong direction. When you're headed in the right direction, don't just casually make your way, RUN! When running in the right direction, don't ever stop or even relax to take a break. Follow Lehi's wish for his sons.

We see a similar analogy in Moses leading the children of Israel from Egypt. Read Exodus chapter 14. They were in bondage (like we are to sin and wickedness). They ran away and headed to the "promised land" (as we should be headed toward the Celestial Kingdom of God). They were overcome by the armies of Pharaoh (as we would be without the atonement). They cried out to the Lord (as we must). They were afraid that they could never escape the destruction of Egypt, but Moses said to them in verses 13 and 14, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord... The Lord shall fight for you" What a powerful message to all of us who are in bondage to sin. The children of Israel were commanded to go forward. They went on the path provided through waters of the Red Sea. In verse 28 we read, "And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them." The blood of Jesus Christ can cover our sins that "not so much as one of them" will remain. How desperately we need the atonement of Jesus Christ.

The Red Sea did not change it's position to go wipe out the Egyptian armies. The children of Israel had to change their position, get into, and pass through the Red Sea to allow the washing away of their captors. Likewise, the river Laman did not just run to the edge of the Red Sea. As Lehi urged his son, may we also follow his council to "be like this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!"