“Michael Billings loved God with a great passion, and so his every waking moment was consumed in the study and defense of God’s Word. Few men have read the books that Michael had mastered, let alone possess the precision of doctrine that he had worked to attain. In the two years that I knew him, I watched Michael grow from strength to strength, both in his study of scripture, and in the application of what he learned. It was both encouraging and convicting to watch him run the race that had been set before him, and it was inspiring to think what he could accomplish in the future.

“As we know now, however, that race was less than twenty years long, and he was called home at its seemingly premature completion. Nevertheless, those few short years were filled to overflowing with Godly pursuits, and having redeemed his time well, Michael was well prepared for death. This is a great loss to his friends and family, but it also encourages me to be reminded that God’s ultimate plan and sovereign power are so great that His will can be achieved on earth even without the impressive abilities of my dear friend.

“It also motivates me to press harder in my own studies of scripture, theology, and history. I know that I am not alone. A large community of young men no longer have Michael Billings to explain or simplify complex positions for us; we have to study these out ourselves. We no longer can expect Michael Billings to fight our battles and write our books for us; we have to bleed and toil ourselves. I pray that I will never forget the encouragement and inspiration that his life and death have been, and that many young men, spurred on by the legacy of Michael Billings, will step up to fill the gap he has left.”

-Isaac Botkin