Biting the Hand that Feeds (Rev 17:14-17)

There's an old saying that people shouldn't bite the hand that feeds. What comes to mind is a dog that bites the hand of the person holding a big juicy steak for the dog's lunch. The saying means that beneficiaries who receive something at the hand of a benefactor shouldn't turn against the giver because the giving will assuredly cease. We learn in Revelation 17:14-17 that this lesson is entirely lost on the ten kings who turn against the Great Whore of false religion even though she is the hand that feeds them in the latter-days.

The Ten Kings Make War With The Lamb (Rev 17:14-15)

John first identifies the ten kings in Revelation 17:12 as the leaders of modern nations who receive power as "kings" one hour with the beast starting in the early 1800s. The beast refers to the Second Beast from Revelation 13:11-18. This beast has two horns of power. One is political and the other is religious or ecclesiastical. This horn also represents the Great Whore who rides (controls) the beast in Revelation 17. In Revelation 17:2, the ten kings spiritually fornicate with the Great Whore. Through this illicit relationship, the leaders in all modern nations (ten kings) become both powerful and extremely corrupt until "these have one mind" with the Great Whore. This is the "spiritual wickedness in high places" that Paul refers to in Ephesians 6:12.

As the ten kings are empowered by the Great Whore (the hand that feeds), they make war with the Lamb. (Rev 17:14) This is exactly why the Great Whore nourishes and feeds the ten kings. She grooms them to fight her battles like powerful and vicious pit bulls. The American Civil War was the first war of the ten kings against the Lamb in the modern era. In this war Satan sought to destroy the United States as the birthplace and cradle for the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since that time, wars have multiplied as part of Satan's ongoing effort to make war with the Lamb. These wars will continue until Armageddon when the Lamb will ultimately prevail against the ten kings because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. (Rev 17:14)

The Ten Kings Hate the Great Whore (Rev 17:16)

After the Great Whore has nurtured and empowered the ten kings to fight her battles against the Lamb for many years, Revelation 17:16 tells us that they shall turn and bite the hand that feeds, saying: "these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire." This means the ten kings don't just bite the hand that feeds, they completely destroy and annihilate the Great Whore. 1 Ne 22:13-14 also predicts this outcome, saying: "And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads…. And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another." (1 Ne 22:13-14)

The ten kings turn against and fight the Great Whore because, ultimately, they are an instrument in the hand of God. "For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled." (Rev 17:17) The apparent moral of this story is: don't bite the hand that feeds, unless it's the will of God. For more on Revelation 17:14-17, check out my podcasts from July 12 and 14, 2026.

July 12, 2026 — Podcast

July 14, 2026 — Podcast