Artificers

The English word "artificer" originated from a compound Latin word which means to make art (the word "artificial" originated from the same root, with the same respectable meaning; in modern times however, artificial has come to mean fake or synthetic). The Hebrew word, pronounced khaw-rawsh, that is translated (in the King James Version) as "artificer" has the noble definition of "any sort of trained, skilled worker of stone, metal or wood." As such, the Messiah was an artificer, known as both the son of a carpenter and a carpenter in His own right i.e. "^6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary" (Mark 6:3 KJV) and "^13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son?" (Matthew 13:55 KJV).

Artificers were known from the very earliest time (the Ultimate Artificer created time - see the Fact Finder question below). Tubalcain was "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron."

"^4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. ^4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

^4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. ^4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. ^4:21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

^4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah." (Genesis 4:17-22 KJV)

"All manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers"

After King David decided to build a Temple of God (see God's Tent), he supplied much of the material that would be used "by the hands of artificers."

"^29:1 Furthermore David the king [see also Israelite Monarchy - The Origin, The Civil War, The United Kingdom,The Division Of Israel, The Northern Kingdom, The Southern Kingdom and The Messiah] said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, is yet young and tender, and the work is great: for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God. ^29:2 Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.

^29:3 Moreover, because I have set my affection to the house of my God, I have of mine own proper good, of gold and silver, which I have given to the house of my God, over and above all that I have prepared for the holy house, ^29:4 Even three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, to overlay the walls of the houses withal: ^29:5 The gold for things of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and for all manner of work to be made by the hands of artificers. And who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the LORD?" (1 Chronicles 29:1-5 KJV)

In later years, the Israelites became corrupt. The Temple was defiled with idolatry and wantonly damaged. Josiah, a relatively righteous king of Judah (see Kings of Israel and Judah), had artificers make repairs to the Temple (after smashing the idols and abominations that corrupt artificers had produced there; see also Abomination of Desolation - Where?).

"^34:1 Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem one and thirty years. ^34:2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of David his father [see also David, Future King Of Israel], and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left.

^34:3 For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images. ^34:4 And they brake down the altars of Baalim in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and the groves, and the carved images, and the molten images, he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. ^34:5 And he burnt the bones of the priests upon their altars, and cleansed Judah and Jerusalem. ^34:6 And so did he in the cities of Manasseh, and Ephraim, and Simeon, even unto Naphtali, with their mattocks round about. ^34:7 And when he had broken down the altars and the groves, and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem.

^34:8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD [see 'Before Abraham Was, I AM'] his God.

^34:9 And when they came to Hilkiah the high priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levites that kept the doors had gathered of the hand of Manasseh and Ephraim, and of all the remnant of Israel, and of all Judah and Benjamin; and they returned to Jerusalem. ^34:10 And they put it in the hand of the workmen that had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and they gave it to the workmen that wrought in the house of the LORD, to repair and amend the house: ^34:11 Even to the artificers and builders gave they it, to buy hewn stone, and timber for couplings, and to floor the houses which the kings of Judah had destroyed." (2 Chronicles 34:1-11 KJV)

As happened every time that Israel and Judah fell, and as will happen in the world as a whole in the end time, "the base" will rise up and replace "the honourable." Honesty, integrity and hard work ("the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator") will be reviled and mocked - while God-defying misfits will rule (see What Rises To The Top?).

"^3:1 For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water. ^3:2 The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, ^3:3 The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator. ^3:4 And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. ^3:5 And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable." (Isaiah 3:1-5 KJV)

Fact Finder: Was Jesus Christ the "skilled workman" who created all things?
See Christ The Creator and The Lord's Plumb Line