As we continue in this series, Valleys and Peaks, we are looking at ways to deal with the highs and lows of life. Good times and tough times are going to come in this life. There is no getting away from it. The key to victory in these times is knowing how to deal with them when they come.

Today, we will look at a guy named Joseph. Joseph is a fairly common name in the Bible, but the one we will discuss is found in the book of Genesis. As a matter of fact, 13 of the final 14 chapters of Genesis share Joseph’s story. Joseph’s story is one of many valleys and a few peaks.

As we look at Joseph’s story, we will pick up with the very end of it. I know some people like to read the end of a book before they jump in and read the entire story. I don’t get that, but some people like to do that.

We will pick up at the point where Joseph’s father had recently died. Joseph’s brothers were afraid of what was about to happen to them.

The Brothers’ Fear

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said to one another, “If Joseph is holding a grudge against us, he will certainly repay us for all the suffering we caused him.”

GENESIS 50:15 CSB

Why would Joseph hold a grudge against his brothers? If you had older siblings, you know there is reason to hold a grudge. I was the older sibling in my family, and I know there are things my younger sister could hold a grudge against me about from our childhood.

Joseph’s brothers were overcome by fear because they had treated Joseph wrong. We’re not talking about the usual picking that takes place in a house full of boys. These brothers did Joseph wrong in the past.

They sold Joseph into slavery because of their hatred toward him (Genesis 37:26-28). After Joseph was sold into slavery, he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife of trying to harm her (Genesis 39:16-18). This led to Joseph being thrown into prison for many years.

Joseph would spend what most scholars believe is close to a decade or more in prison for these charges. This serves as a reminder that though you are walking with the Lord, it does not mean that we will be immune from false accusations. Satan will do all he can to get us off-track from what the Lord is doing in our lives.

After close to a decade spent in prison, Joseph is released to help Pharaoh. While in prison, Joseph had interpreted dreams for the Pharaoh’s baker and cupbearer. The interpretations that Joseph gave happened just as he said that they would. When Pharaoh had a dream he couldn’t understand, Joseph was remembered and brought in to help. Pharaoh thanked Joseph for his help by granting his release and setting Joseph up as second in command over all of Egypt.

This sounds good, but was it? If Joseph’s brothers had not sold him into slavery so many years earlier, none of the valleys he had to walk through would have happened. The brothers had reason to fear. In Genesis 50:15, we see that the brothers were worried about payback.

The Brothers’ Plan

So they sent thsi message to Joseph, “Before he died your father gave a command: ‘Say this to Joseph: Please forgive your brothers’ transgression and their sin – the suffering they caused you.’ Therefore, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when their message came to him. His brothers also came to him, bowed down before him, and said, “We are your slaves!”

GENESIS 50:16-18 CSB

The brothers come to Joseph with another lie that they have concocted. They tell Joseph that their late father wanted Joseph to forgive his brothers for the wrongs they did to him in the past. This was a lie because the Bible never tells us that the brothers confessed what they did to Joseph to their father. Therefore, Jacob had never told the brothers to relay a message to Joseph.

When we allow sin to reside in our hearts unchecked, it will mess with us in many ways. The brothers show here that they were in slavery as well. By not confessing their sin against Joseph, they put themselves in slavery to guilt. This guilt would cause them to pile on the sins to try to cover up what they had initially done. The problem with this thought is that no relief can come this way; the pit gets deeper.

The brothers are so committed to not dealing with their sin the way the Lord intends that they come and bring before Joseph with false humility. This is a reminder to us about the truth of confession. Confession is not being sorry for our sins. Confession is seeing our sins exactly how the Lord sees them. When we see our sin the way the Lord sees it, it will move us to the point of wanting to deal with it and get away from the sin. This is what the Bible refers to as repentance.

I am thankful that whenever true, Bible-defined confession happens, it is met by the grace of Jesus.

If we confess our sins, [Jesus] is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 JOHN 1:9 CSB

Joseph’s Strength

But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result – the survival of many people. Therefore don’t be afraid. I will take care of you and your children.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

GENESIS 50:19-21 CSB

Do you want to know if the Lord is working in someone’s life? You will see things like this when the Holy Spirit leads someone’s life. Instead of paying his brothers back for robbing him of years of freedom and time with his family, Joseph tells them not to be afraid. He shares with them that God had this.

Joseph could get through the valleys in his life because he realized the truth that the Lord is sovereign. God’s being sovereign means that He is in complete control. The Lord rules over the entirety of creation.

Joseph’s realization gave him the peace that the Lord would be in control of whatever may come his way. Paul also talks about this in the New Testament (Romans 8:28-30).

When we come to the same point that Joseph was at – resting in the sovereignty of God – then we will find peace and trust the Lord to work all things that come our way for our good and His glory.