Things I Never Noticed in the Bible - Genesis 42-43 - Joseph with His Brothers

Unresolved guilt and conflict will really mess you up.

The brothers know their guilt against Joseph and that God is bringing consequences on them for it (Gen 42:21).  But they can't resolve it, thinking Joseph is dead.  They never refer to God, though Joseph does (Gen 42:18).  God-fearers can resolve their guilt.  Those who forsake Him cannot.  The brothers show this twice.  All they see is a reckoning of judgment (Gen 42:22) and death (Gen 43:37).

Joseph is very suspicious of his brothers' intent.  Whether he means to do it on purpose or not, he treats them harshly.  This is a common response to those who have treated us badly.
Time may not heal all wounds, but it can bring a more sober judgment.  Joseph seems to propose a poetic-justice-type plan after 3 days.

Jacob is the most tragic.  A major downside to unresolved guilt and conflict is the strong tendency to blame and despair, and Jacob does this in spades (Gen 42:36).  He thinks a wild animal mauled Joseph to death, but (wrongly in his intent) blames his sons for it, though it is the literal truth.

It takes Judah's intercession to resolve the situation.  He convinces Jacob to give up his only beloved son to go to wicked sinners to redeem them all.

In these situations we try to patch things up ourselves, instead of trusting God's grace.  Jacob sends as much money and wealth as he can, hoping that will earn Egypt's mercy, when Joseph won't be much interested in that at all (Gen 43:11-14).  When Joseph sets a table of fellowship for them, the brothers stay focused on making sure they've paid him what they owe, as if they ever could (Gen 43:16-25).  They are afraid of him, another result of unresolved guilt.
Joseph serves Benjamin 5 times what the others get.  He is testing them.  Often the best way to determine if one recognizes their guilt in the past, is to see if they act differently in a similar situation now.  The brothers seem to pass this test, so Joseph will next force them to protect Benjamin, interceding for him, instead of the opposite they did to him.

Will we sacrifice our own reputation, wealth, and lives to defend the honor of the favored Son?  Or will we seek to kill Him out of envy and for our own self-advancement, as happened at the cross of Jesus?  

Refusing to take your guilt to God will lead you to destructive and sinful thoughts and actions against Him.  Acknowledging the guilt brings peace and restored harmony between God and man (Psalm 32:1-7).