December 15 - Ghost Dance Killing: The Murder of Sitting Bull
Understanding Why Opposition Fears Unity
This is the day Sitting Bull, the renowned Hunkpapa Lakota leader, was killed at Standing Rock Indian Reservation in 1890.
In today's lesson, we will examine a tragic moment in Native American history that reveals profound truths about the power of unity and the destructive nature of division. What happens when authorities fear the strength of united believers? How can we guard against tactics designed to fragment God's people? This powerful lesson draws from the death of a renowned leader to illuminate spiritual principles that remain vitally relevant today.
"If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand." - Mark 3:25 (NIV)
This Date in History
In the early hours of December 15, 1890, forty-three Indian police officers approached Sitting Bull's cabin at the Standing Rock Reservation under orders to arrest the influential Lakota leader. The directive came from federal authorities who feared his influence within the growing Ghost Dance movement, a spiritual and cultural revival spreading through Native American communities. They believed Sitting Bull's leadership could galvanize unrest, making him a target of urgent concern.
As dawn neared, the police surrounded the cabin. This force consisted of Lakota men employed by the U.S. government, a deliberate choice meant to defuse tensions and avoid a broader conflict. But the decision also symbolized the devastating internal divisions imposed by reservation life. The situation was fraught with tension as the officers, led by Lieutenant Henry Bull Head, confronted Sitting Bull in his home. They demanded he come with them, but the commotion soon drew a crowd of his followers.
Sitting Bull, a revered spiritual leader and warrior, was no stranger to confrontation. His defiance had made him a symbol of resistance to U.S. expansion, particularly after the stunning Lakota-Cheyenne victory at the Battle of Little Bighorn in 1876. Though he had surrendered to U.S. forces in 1881, his presence at Standing Rock continued to represent hope for the preservation of Lakota traditions. His involvement with the Ghost Dance movement intensified federal concerns. This spiritual revival prophesied a new era where Native American lands would be restored, the buffalo would return, and white settlers would vanish from tribal territories. For many Native Americans, it represented hope for cultural renewal, but federal authorities saw it as a dangerous catalyst for rebellion.
As Sitting Bull's followers gathered, their anger rose. Tensions exploded when Catch-the-Bear, one of his supporters, fired at Bull Head. Mortally wounded, Bull Head managed to shoot Sitting Bull before falling. Chaos erupted, with gunfire tearing through the cold morning air. When the dust settled, Sitting Bull lay dead alongside several of his followers and six Indian policemen, including Bull Head.
The death of Sitting Bull sent immediate shockwaves through the Lakota community. His supporters, fearing further violence, fled Standing Rock. Many joined Chief Spotted Elk (often known as Big Foot) as he led his band toward the Cheyenne River Reservation. These events set in motion a chain of actions that would culminate two weeks later in the Wounded Knee Massacre, one of the darkest chapters in Native American history.
Sitting Bull's killing marked a turning point in U.S. relations with the Lakota people, illustrating both the desperate measures employed by federal authorities and the profound fractures created within Native communities. The confrontation that morning represented a tragic collision between two worlds, symbolizing the systematic disintegration of a way of life under relentless pressure.
Historical Context
Native American tribes across the Great Plains faced unprecedented challenges in the late 19th century. The systematic destruction of buffalo herds, which had sustained their traditional way of life, combined with increasing white settlement and railroad expansion, created devastating pressures on tribal societies. By the 1880s, most Plains tribes had been confined to reservations, where government policies actively sought to dismantle their cultural and spiritual practices.
The reservation system itself represented a fundamental shift in Native American life. Federal authorities implemented policies designed to force assimilation, including the prohibition of traditional ceremonies and customs. The Dawes Act of 1887 attempted to break up communal tribal lands into individual allotments, deliberately undermining traditional tribal social structures. Children were often removed from their families and sent to distant boarding schools where they were forbidden to speak their native languages or practice their customs.
These pressures coincided with a period of profound social and economic transformation across America. The completion of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 had accelerated westward expansion, while industrialization and urbanization reshaped the nation's character. The federal government's policies toward Native Americans reflected this era's prevailing beliefs about progress, civilization, and manifest destiny, with little regard for preserving indigenous cultures or sovereignty.
The emergence of the Ghost Dance in 1889 occurred against this backdrop of cultural devastation and forced assimilation. Originally prophesied by the Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka, the movement spread rapidly across numerous tribes, adapting to local beliefs and customs. For many Native Americans, the Ghost Dance represented more than just spiritual renewal—it offered hope for cultural survival at a time when traditional ways of life seemed on the verge of extinction. The movement's rapid spread alarmed federal authorities, who were already struggling to maintain control over the reservation system.
Did You Know?
Sitting Bull toured with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in 1885, using some of his earnings to help support children on the reservation who had lost their parents.
Today’s Reflection
In the echoing gunfire that marked Sitting Bull's death, we glimpse a sobering truth about the devastating power of division. Federal authorities deliberately chose to use Lakota policemen against their own spiritual leader, knowing that internal fractures could accomplish what external force could not. Jesus taught, "If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand" Mark 3:25 (NIV), a principle repeatedly confirmed throughout history.
The events of that cold December morning at Standing Rock were not simply about arresting one leader; they represented a calculated effort to exploit the bonds of community. Lakota policemen were placed in an impossible position, torn between their spiritual and cultural loyalties and their roles as government agents. This tragic moment reveals how division can tear apart even the most resilient spiritual and cultural ties.
The Ghost Dance movement exemplified unity, drawing Native American communities together in shared hope and spiritual practice. This unity, however, triggered fear among federal authorities, who recognized that a people united in purpose and spirit are far harder to subdue. Similarly, the enemy of God has always used division as a tactic, knowing that fractured communities are more vulnerable to his schemes.
This pattern echoes into the church's history. Paul fought against the forces that sought to divide the early believers, urging them to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" Ephesians 4:3 (NIV). His words remind us that unity requires constant vigilance and intentional effort, especially in the face of forces seeking to sow discord.
Today, the church faces many of the same challenges. The enemy still exploits differences—cultural, social, or even theological—to fracture the Body of Christ. While some disagreements are significant and require careful discernment, many others grow from pride, preferences, or misunderstandings. The resulting division undermines our testimony and weakens our collective ability to fulfill God's mission.
Yet, God's design for His people is unity that honors diversity—not uniformity imposed by compulsion, but a Spirit-led harmony that reflects His love and power. When Jesus prayed "that they may be one as we are one" John 17:22 (NIV), He called for a unity that transcends human differences and testifies to God's reconciling work in the world.
The tragedy at Standing Rock reminds us of the destructive power of division and the importance of preserving unity in Christ. Recognizing the schemes that seek to divide us—whether through cultural tensions, political disagreements, or theological debates—we must recommit ourselves to the bond of peace. Our unity is both a defense against the enemy's strategies and a living testimony to the transformative power of Christ's love in a divided world.
Practical Application
Take time this week to identify areas where you might be contributing to division within your faith community. Consider how disagreements over worship styles, cultural practices, or theological interpretations might be creating unnecessary barriers. Choose one specific action you can take to build bridges and strengthen unity, whether it's reaching out to someone with different viewpoints, participating in cross-cultural ministry opportunities, or working to resolve a lingering conflict.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we acknowledge how easily division can creep into our communities and hearts. Help us recognize and resist the enemy's attempts to fragment Your people. Give us wisdom to maintain unity without compromising truth, and grace to love those who differ from us. Let our unity in Christ shine as a powerful testimony to Your reconciling love. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Supplementary Study
"Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."
Paul's urgent plea for unity reminds us that division within the church has been a challenge since its earliest days, and maintaining unity requires intentional effort and commitment.
"I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them."
This warning highlights the importance of recognizing and resisting forces that threaten to divide God's people, whether through false teaching or other means.
"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you."
Jesus's prayer reveals that unity among believers was so important that He made it a focus of His final requests to the Father, showing us its crucial role in our witness to the world.
Final Thoughts
The tragic division that led to Sitting Bull's death reminds us that unity is both precious and fragile. As Christians, we must remain vigilant against forces that would divide us, recognizing that our unity in Christ transcends cultural, social, and theological differences. When we stand together, we demonstrate the transformative power of God's love to a fractured world.
Community Engagement
Share your thoughts or use these questions to get the conversation started.
What aspects of the Ghost Dance movement's unifying effect on Native American communities resonate with you?
How do you see similar tactics of division being used against Christian communities today?
What practical steps can believers take to maintain unity while respecting cultural and theological differences?
How can we better discern between necessary separation over truth and unnecessary division over preferences?
Bonus - Did You Know?
The Ghost Dance movement originated from a vision received by a Paiute man named Wovoka during a solar eclipse in January 1889.
Lieutenant Bull Head, who shot Sitting Bull, had once been a close friend and fellow warrior before joining the Indian police.
Sitting Bull was known for his exceptional skill as a holy man and could interpret dreams and natural phenomena for his people.
The cabin where Sitting Bull was killed was later dismantled and moved to Fort Yates, North Dakota, where it became a tourist attraction.
Sitting Bull's horse, a talented "dancing" horse given to him by Buffalo Bill Cody, was shot and killed during the confrontation.
Several of Sitting Bull's grandchildren continued to serve as cultural ambassadors and historians for the Lakota people well into the 20th century.
Additional Resources
Sitting Bull: His Life and Legacy - Robert M. Utley
Ghost Dance: Religion and Resistance - Gregory E. Smoak
The Last Days of the Sioux Nation - Robert M. Utley
The Ghost Dance: Ethnohistory and Revitalization - Alice Beck Kehoe
This devotional is free to read. You can support this publication by becoming a subscriber, upgrading to paid subscriber status, liking (❤️) this post, commenting, and/or sharing this post with anyone who might enjoy it. You can also make a ONE-TIME DONATION in any amount. Thank you for your support!
In tomorrow's lesson, we'll explore how one leader's inflexible stance transformed a simple dispute into a pivotal moment in history. Through this example, we'll discover vital truths about the dangers of allowing pride to harden our hearts and the profound importance of remaining responsive to God's voice.
When I started reading the details, the thought I had was that this reminded me of the Federal raid upon the Branch Davidian compound in the 1990's, which answers question 2 for me. It was a similar raid. as they attempted against Sitting Bull, and it was all because of their belief that each leader was a threat against unity under Washington, DC.
Then we got to see a government effort against organized religion with the WuFlu pandemicon, where the central government attempted to criminalize attendance at churches and other religious buildings and ceremonies. Both of these were extra-governmental threats to religion. And so was the arrest of Sitting Bull.
I was at a small museum in Michigan on Friday, and one of the exhibits was a jacket Sitting Bull owned. He'd worn it when he was with Buffalo Bill, and he later gave it to a friend of his who was an Indian agent.
Unnecessary division among Christians is so sad. As the Bible says, "is Christ divided?" But like you pointed out, there are necessary divisions. It takes wisdom to discern between the two, and I pray God gives me more of that wisdom.