4. Particular attention must be paid to the fact that it is upon the beast in his _resurrection state_ that we are to dwell, for the whole earth marvels after the beast not previously, but subsequently, to the point of time at which the stroke of his death is healed.[343] In that condition, too, he is not thought of as raging only in the Roman empire. His influence is universal. Wherever men are he is: _And there was given to him authority over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation._[344] The fourfold division indicates absolute universality; and the _whole earth_--that is, all ungodly ones--worships the beast, even every one whose name has not been written in the Lamb's book of life.[345] Thus raging with an extent of power never possessed by any form of Roman government or any emperor of Rome, he rages also throughout all time, from the first to the second coming of the Lord, for he has _authority given to him to continue forty and two months_,[346] the period so denoted embracing the whole Christian era from its beginning to its close.[347] 5. Three points more may be noticed before drawing the general conclusion to which all this leads. In the first place, the beast is the vicegerent of another power which acts through him and by means of him. _The dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority._ The dragon himself does not directly act. He has his representative, or vicar, or substitute, in the beast. In the second place, the worship paid by "the whole earth" to the beast, when it cries, _Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to make war with him?_ is an obvious imitation of the ascriptions of praise to God contained in not a few passages of the Old Testament: "Who is like unto the Lord our God, that hath His seat on high?"; "To whom then will ye liken Me, that I should be equal to him? saith the Holy One;" "Hearken unto Me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel.... To whom will ye liken Me, and make Me equal, and compare Me, that we may be like?"[348] In the third place, the beast opens his mouth, not only to blaspheme against God, but _against His tabernacle, even them that tabernacle in the heaven_,[349] expressions in which the use of the word "tabernacle" leads directly to the thought of opposition to Him who became flesh and tabernacled among us, and who now spreads His tabernacle over His saints.[350]