Ezekiel 27:12

Ezekiel 27:12 says, Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs,  God said that Tarshish had been a merchant nation that the people of Tyrus had engaged in trade with so that they might enrich themselves.  The goal of the people of Tyrus had always been to enrich themselves at the expense of others.  We cannot enrich ourselves through merchandising without someone else paying the price for us to become rich.  Of course, dealing in precious metals might not be quite as bad as dealing with other things might be, but if one person is to come out ahead in the deal, it has to be at the  expense of someone else.       

Verse thirteen adds, Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market.  These places were said to have dealt in trading men and vessels of brass.  This would indicate that they were dealing in selling slaves, and if that is the case, then they would definitely be making themselves richer at the expense of others.  We may not engage in slavery today, but some people are treated as little more than slaves as they work to make other people rich.  

Verse fourteen continues, They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules.   God said that the people of Togarmah traded in horses, horsemen and mules.  I am not sure if the horsemen were thought to be owned by the people Togarmah and were therefore just a commodity to be traded or not, but they were included in the items to be sold or used to barter with.  As Christians, we should never see anyone else as of less value than we ourselves are, since we are all equal in God’s sight.  Of course, if a person refuses to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, then spiritually they are of less value than someone who has.