I was told that before the coming of the Lord into the world, there had been no other heaven than the inward one.* For as yet no one on this earth could understand the very inward, much less the innermost matters; and because higher knowledge must precede, therefore no other heaven could come into being at that time. The inward heaven* is such that something earthly is joined to their spiritual part. Consequently, when angels formerly spoke with people on earth, and through the prophets, the Word had to come down directly into earthly forms. This resulted in the prophetical style that the Lord also chose to use in part. For otherwise they would not have been able to understand inward, much less very inward, spiritual matters. For this reason also the Lord spoke in parables. About this subject I spoke with those in heaven, who seemed to me to affirm them, that is, that there had been this kind of a heaven for the sake of the inhabitants of this earth, but that a very inward and innermost heaven had nevertheless existed from others in the universe. * See 262 and footnote 3.