Satan is at work in the hearts and minds of all who are disobedient to God.

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Originally posted by MrGordon: ↑

But note the image doesn't come on the scene until after the beast has a near death experience and revives.(ww3). That is one thing in common . it is also blasphemous. The people wonder admiringly at it . Their names aren't in the book of life. (Which means losing any hope of salvation). The beast persecutes the holy ones for 42 months. Both descriptions of the beast have these things in common . This correspondence means it's the same beast.
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Ababab, the near death experience was felt by the dominant 7th head during WW1. On August 4, 1979, just 65 years after the outbreak of World War I, The Economist, of London, England, commented: “In 1914 the world lost a coherence which it has not managed to recapture since.”
The blasphemy against God was demonstrated by how the holy ones [anointed Christians] were treated during the 42 months or 3 1/2 years of WW1. Saul who became the apostle Paul was asked, ''Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'', when he attacked the holy ones of the first century. [Acts9:4].
(Revelation 13:5-8) It was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for 42 months. 6 And it opened its mouth in blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his dwelling place, even those residing in heaven. 7 It was permitted to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8 And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it. From the founding of the world, not one of their names has been written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered.

The 7 headed wild beast that did this was the worldwide political system of things as shown by the authority it wields. The image was proposed by the 2 horned beast of verse 11. [Anglo- American World Power}

(Revelation 13:11-13) Then I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon. 12 It exercises all the authority of the first wild beast in its sight. And it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first wild beast, whose mortal wound was healed. 13 And it performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind.

The image [League of Nations] was to be given worship as it makes boastful claims to be the only one able to bring peace and security to mankind. It failed to survive WW2 and its replacement the United Nations will also ''go off into destruction''.

(Revelation 17:8) The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go off into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth—those whose names have not been written in the scroll of life from the founding of the world—will be amazed when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present.

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Sorry Mr Gordon. But any reasonable analysis would acknowledge none of these things was fulfilled during WW1. Moreover, if the 42 months had indeed run their course at that time like you suggest, why have human governments merrily continued ruling since then?