on our Earth, and not on any other. THE PRINCIPAL
REASON _was for the sake of the Word, that it might be written on our
Earth; and when written might afterwards be published throughout the
whole Earth; and that, once published, it might be preserved for all
posterity; and that thus it might be made manifest, even to all in the
other life, that God did become Man_.

114. _That the principal reason was for the sake 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, that there is a
life after death; and which teaches, besides, how man ought to live
and believe in order that he may come into heaven, and thus may
be happy to eternity. Without revelation, and thus, on this Earth,
without the Word, all these things would have been entirely unknown;
and yet man has been so created, that as to his interiors he cannot
die[nn].

[Footnote nn: By natural light (_lumen_) alone, nothing can be known
concerning the Lord, heaven and hell, the life of man after death,
and the Divine truths, by means of which man has spiritual and eternal
life, nos. 8944, 10318-10320. This may appear from the consideration
that many, and amongst them the learned, do not believe these
things, although they are born where the Word is, and where there is
instruction by means of the Word concerning them, no. 10319. Therefore
it was necessary that there should be a revelation from heaven,
because man was born for heaven, no. 1775.]

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 tablets, next on parchment, afterwards on paper, and lastly
publication by printing. This was provided by the Lord for the sake of
the Word.

116. _That the Word might afterwards be published throughout the
whole of this Earth_, is because here there is an intercourse of all
nations, not only by journeys on land, but also by navigation to all
parts of the entire globe; hence the Word, after it had once been
written, could be conveyed from one nation to another, and be taught
everywhere.

117. _That the Word, after it had once been written, might be
preserved for all posterity_, consequently for thousands and thousands
of years, and that it has also been so preserved, is known.

118. _That thus it might he made manifest that God has become man_;
for this is the first and most essential purpose for which th