Earths in the Universe · 8 of 14

Why the Lord Was Born on Our Earth

113.THE REASONS WHY THE LORD WAS WILLING TO BE BORN ON OUR EARTH, AND NOT ON ANOTHER. There are many reasons, concerning which I had information from heaven, why it pleased the Lord to be born and to assume the human on our earth, and not on another. The PRINCIPLE REASON was because of the Word, in that it might be written on our earth; and when written be afterwards published throughout the whole earth; and when once published be preserved to all posterity; and that thus it might be made manifest, even to all in the other life, that God became Man.

114.That the principal reason was because of the Word, is because the Word is the Divine truth itself, which teaches man that there is a God, that there is a heaven and a hell, and that there is a life after death; and teaches moreover how man ought to live and believe, in order to come into heaven, and thus into eternal happiness. All these things would have been altogether unknown without a revelation, thus on this earth without the Word; and yet man is so created that, as to his interiors, he cannot die.

115.That the Word might be written on our earth, is because the art of writing has existed here from the most ancient time, first on the bark of trees, next on parchment, afterwards on paper, and lastly published by types. This was provided by the Lord for the sake of the Word.

116.That the Word might afterwards be published through out the whole earth, is because there is commerce here between all nations, both by land and water, to all parts of the globe; hence that the Word once written might be conveyed from one nation to another, and be taught everywhere.

117.That the Word once written might be preserved to all posterity, consequently for thousands and thousands of years, and that it has been so preserved is well known.

118.That thus it might be made manifest that God became Man; for this is the first and most essential, for the sake of which the Word was revealed. For no one can believe in God, and love God, whom he cannot comprehend under some appearance; wherefore they who acknowledge what is invisible and thus incomprehensible, in thought sink into nature, and thus believe in no God. Hence it pleased the Lord to be born on this earth, and to make this manifest by the Word, that it might not only be known on this globe, but also might be made manifest thereby to spirits and angels even from other earths, and likewise to the Gentiles from our own earth.”

119.It is to be known that the Word on our earth, given through heaven from the Lord, is the union of heaven and the world; for which end there is a correspondence of all things contained in the letter of the Word with the Divine things in heaven; and the Word in its supreme and inmost sense treats of the Lord, of His kingdom in the heavens and the earths, and of love and faith from Him and in Him, consequently of life from Him and in Him. Such things are presented to the angels in heaven, when the Word of our earth is read and preached.

120.In every other earth Divine truth is manifested by word of mouth through spirits and angels, as was said above in speaking of the inhabitants of the earths of this solar system. But this manifestation is confined within families; for the human race in most earths live distinct according to families; wherefore the Divine truth thus revealed through spirits and angels is not conveyed far beyond the limits of families, and unless a new revelation constantly succeeds, truth is either perverted or perishes. It is otherwise on our earth, where the Divine truth, which is the Word, remains for ever in its integrity.

121.It is to be known that the Lord acknowledges and receives all, of whatsoever earth they be, who acknowledge and worship God under the human form, inasmuch as God under the human form is the Lord. And because the Lord appears to the inhabitants in the earths in an angelic form, which is the human form, therefore when the spirits and angels from those earths are informed by the spirits and angels of our earth that God is actually Man, they receive that Word, acknowledge it, and rejoice that it is so.

122.To the reasons above adduced, may be added, that the inhabitants and spirits of our earth, in the Greatest Man, have relation to the natural and external sense, which sense is the ultimate wherein the interiors of life close, and rest as on their common basis. The case is similar in regard to the Divine truth in the letter, which is called the Word, and which for this reason also was given on this earth, and not on any other: and because the Lord is the Word, and is the First and the Last thereof, therefore, that all things might exist according to order, He was willing to be born on this earth, and be made the Word, according to what is written in John: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word. This was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made which was made. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father. No one has seen God at any time; the Only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath brought Him forth to view (i. 1-14, 18). The Word is the Lord as to the Divine truth, thus the Divine truth from the Lord. But this is an arcanum which falls within the understanding of only a few.