Regarding Sheshbazzar Tim Starr asked about my screen name, so...

Upon the Israelites' return from Assyrian and Babylonian captivity, they began construction of the temple in Jerusalem. Zerubbabel, a descendant of David, was the builder of this temple, in keeping with the word of God spoken through the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 7:12-13). This Zerubbabel was governor of Judah as the Israelites made their way back into their homeland at the decree of Cyrus (Ezra 3:8; Haggai 1:1,14; 2:2,21). Other passages credit Sheshbazzar, the appointed governor of Judah, with the construction of the temple (Ezra 5:14,16). Since both are called "governor of Judah" at the same time, and both are considered the builder of the temple, it seems reasonable to me to assume that both names refer to the same individual -- Zerubbabel being his Hebrew name and Sheshbazzar, his Babylonian. This was not uncommon: Daniel was called Belteshazzar; his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were renamed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

So why did I choose this relatively unknown name as my screen name?

Paul considered his calling to be one of "temple-building" as well, in a manner of speaking. He wrote to the Corinthian brethren...
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. (1 Cor. 3:5-10)

The church, here, is called "God's field, God's building." This is congruent with the passage in Ephesians where the church is referred to as the temple of God, His dwelling-place (Eph. 2:21-22). While I realize that individual Christians are also called "the temple" (1 Cor. 6:19), the church is also presented as "the temple." In this way, preachers can be said to be "temple builders", adding "living stones" to the foundation which God has laid (1 Cor. 3:11-17, 1 Peter 2:5). Temple-building is both and honor and a great responsibility. So I often choose this name to remind myself of my obligation and the grace which God has allowed me to be about this work from day to day.

I decided to use "Sheshbazzar" rather than "Zerubbabel" for two reasons:
(1) Most people wouldn't know why I'm using it, therefore the term reminds me of my work while not necessarily putting it before others as a designation of "honor".
(2) It is the temple-builder's slave name, and therefore reminds me that I've chosen to be enslaved to God in this service (Exodus 21:1-6; Romans 6:16-18).

There's your answer, Tim -- and anyone else who cares to read this blog.