What Do the Seven Heads of the Beast Represent?

In Revelation 13:1-3, the Beast is described as having seven heads, with one of them appearing to have a "deadly wound" that is later healed: **Revelation 13:1-3 (KJV)**: > *"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast."* Later, in Revelation 17:9-10, the heads are identified as both mountains and kings: **Revelation 17:9-10 (KJV)**: > *"And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space."* ### Question How do different Christian perspectives—historicist, futurist, and allegorical—interpret the meaning of these **seven heads**? - **What do the seven heads represent** (e.g., empires, kings, spiritual concepts)? - **What might the "deadly wound" and its healing symbolize** in each view? Finally, is there reason to believe this passage suggests there will be **seven iterations of Beast-like figures**, with the final one ("the other is not yet come") being *the* ultimate Beast? If this idea applies primarily to one group of interpretations (such as the futurist view), please explain. Looking for an overview of perspectives on the matter. Thank you in advance. God bless.