The six verses all refer to the activities of a fearsome-sounding "beast".
Historically the most common view was that this verse refers to the Eucharist.
To this utterance of the great sovereign, verse 24 undoubtedly refers.
Other commentators suggest that these verses do not refer to any particular religious community.
However, others argue that the verse refers to angels created by God and not deities.
Further on, the verse refers to various members of the society, I believe.
Most scholars feel that this verse originally referred to the last judgement.
This verse however refers to a relationship between a husband and wife, not as a society in whole.
Scholars point out that these events have always been on earth, so the verse must refer to a significant increase in the intensity of them.