When we speak of the world in the sense of its being our spiritual opponent we are not using the word in reference to the earth (in the sense of the “world globe”) or even to the people who inhabit the earth (as in the phrase “the whole world”). We are using it to refer to the “world system” which Jesus referred to when he said, “If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19). The world is “keeping up with the Joneses,” “winning through intimidation,” “looking out for number one” and otherwise operating according to the world’s goals and values rather than the values of God. The world is always trying to compel the Christian to be like it. That is why the apostle Paul wrote, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2).
The flesh is what we carry about in ourselves. Flesh does not refer to the soft material that covers our bones and is nourished by the circulation of our blood, any more than world refers merely to the earth globe. In the sense that we are using the word here and in which the Bible uses it when it speaks of the “sins of the flesh,” flesh means the earthly nature of man apart from the divine influence. Apart from the intervention of grace this fleshly nature is utterly disposed to sin and is rebellious against God. Paul writes of this nature, saying: “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like” (Gal. 5:19-21). Joseph’s brothers were such men. They were fleshly. They were governed by a nature that was opposed to God.
The third of the three classic opponents of the Christian man or woman is the devil. Peter describes him as “a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
Because the devil is such an imposing enemy and because he has already been introduced to us in Genesis in the story of the serpent’s temptation of Eve and Adam, it is somewhat surprising that he has not been mentioned more explicitly. We are not to conclude from this that he is inactive. Certainly the devil was active in the growth of the debauchery (and perhaps spiritualism and demon worship) that preceded the Flood. No doubt he was at this point also actively opposing God’s chosen people. We must remember that God had said that He would send a redeemer through the chosen line of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but that He had not yet disclosed through which of the twelve sons of Jacob that Redeemer would come. (We do not find that out until Genesis 49.) My guess (I admit it is a guess) is that the devil supposed that Joseph was the one and therefore moved heaven and earth to persecute, corrupt, and, if possible, do away with Joseph. The devil already had the older ten brothers in his pocket, as it were. It was easy for him to turn them against Joseph, and he would undoubtedly have had them kill him if God had not intervened to protect and eventually prosper the young man.
Actually, as we later learn, the Messiah was not to come through Joseph or his sons but through Judah, whom God was bringing to faith through these incidents. The devil would never have suspected this hard, secular and sensual man. But in the very next chapter it is Judah who leads the other brothers in putting himself on the line for Benjamin.