In southcentral Montana, on the east bank of the Little Bighorn River, 55 miles southeast of Billings, there stands a monument commemorating the Battle of the Little Bighorn River on June 25th, 1876 in which a detachment of U.S. Cavalry led by George Armstrong Custer was defeated by a force of Sioux and Cheyenne Indians. A granite shaft in the monument overlooks a series of white stones that mark the places where Custer and his men fell.

George Armstrong Custer was born in Rumley, Ohio on December 5, 1839. He graduated from West Point in 1861 and displayed great courage as a cavalry lieutenant in engagements early in the Civil War. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general at the early age of 23. A string of many successful combat actions followed and because of his daring, almost reckless style of personal leadership, he was promoted to major general, commanding a division of cavalry.

In 1874 an army expedition led by Custer found gold in the Black Hills—a vast region which today comprises the western half of South Dakota, but which had been set aside by treaty for the Sioux Indian nation in 1868. Gold miners stampeded into the Black Hills and the U.S. Government did nothing to stop the invasion. Some of the Sioux and their Cheyenne allies became hostile. They left the reservation and headed for Montana. The Indians ignored warnings by the Government to return to the reservation, so troops were sent to Montana to hunt down the "renegade Sioux."

On June 21, 1876 Custer was given orders to take his fast-riding cavalry to a muddy tributary of the Yellowstone known as the Little Bighorn where scouts had spotted a large gathering of Indians under the leadership of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Gall, and other chiefs. Custer and his men were to block their escape until foot soldiers arrived. They located the Indian village and decided to attack on June 25th without waiting for the foot soldiers. Custer divided his company into several battalions hoping to attack the Indian camp from different directions. He greatly miscalculated the number of Indians in the camp, expecting there were about 1,000, when there were actually between 2,500 and 5,000—the largest number of hostile Indians ever faced by the U.S. Army. The entire group of Indians counterattacked Custer's immediate company of about 260 men, wiping them all out in little more than an hour's fighting. This battle has been popularly known as "Custer's Last Stand."

History does not tell us what Custer chose to do with Christ in his lifetime, whether he accepted or rejected the finished work of Christ for His sins. But, one thing is certain—the Battle of the Little Bighorn was not Custer's "last stand." The Bible tells us that "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:10), which means that Custer will either appear before Christ in heaven to have his works judged, or he will appear before Christ at the great white throne judgment and be cast into the lake of fire.

Shortly after the rapture, when the Lord returns for His own, each believer will stand before a judgment seat where his works will be judged by the Lord. Anything that was not done for the Lord will be burned up (1 Cor. 3:11-13) and rewards will be given for any faithful act done for Him. The judgment of the believer's works, not sins, is in question here. Sins have been atoned for and are "remembered no more forever" (Heb. 10:17). How it should behoove each believer to live a life pleasing to the Lord. "No self-denial for His Name's sake will then seem to have been too great; no trials because of His truth will appear to have been too many; no suffering or toil for the spreading of His gospel too much in that day. On the contrary, how many will there be who would then gladly give the wealth of the world if they had only been more devoted to Him in the day of His rejection, more unworldly, more Christ-like and more concerned about the dire need of the perishing thousands about them. But, the day for faithfulness to an absent Lord will then be over, and the hour of manifestation will have arrived" (H.A.I.).

On the other hand, all those from Cain on down through the ages who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour will last stand before the great white throne (Rev. 20:11-15). There they will receive the deserved sentence of being cast into the lake of fire for trampling under foot the precious blood of Christ which was shed on Calvary's cross for their sins. We trust this isn't going to be Custer's last stand, nor yours, dear reader. Won't you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour today while mercy is still being extended? Confess your sins to Him and by faith accept His sacrifice on Calvary as payment for those sins. Take you stand for Him today and be assured you will live forever! (John 5:24,25; 10:27,28).

On August 10, 1983, a fire raged over the 900 historic acres of Custer's last stand. As a result, much of the thick vegetation covering the area was removed, uncovering many buttons buckles, bullets and even a boot from the famous battle over one hundred years before. Archeologists continue to explore the region, looking for new clues as to just what happened that day, because no white man survived to give an account, and Indian accounts are confusing and hard to piece together. This is in contrast to the last stand every human being will make, because all is known perfectly to the One before whom we will stand—the omniscient Lord Jesus Christ (Psalm 139:1-4). His judgment will be perfectly righteous and complete with nothing escaping His notice nor covered by the years of time. But how blessed to know that He has endured the fire of God's judgment for our sins on the Cross of Calvary, and on that basis today offers a full pardon to every believing, trusting soul. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:31).

—T.M.J.