Forty-five years after the twelve spies returned from spying out the Promised Land and the people of Israel believed and followed the pessimistic perspective of the ten spies, Caleb recalled the effect of that faithless report. This faithful spy, in his old age, said, “My brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt” (Josh. 14:8).
This same evaluation of those days was made by Moses before his death, when he recounted, “Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, ‘The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven’” (Deut. 1:28). The heart of the people melted because they listened to the wrong people. They listened to men who did not listen to God. God promised to “give the land” to His obedient people (Num. 13:2), to “fight for” them (Deut. 1:30) and “carry” them (1:31), but they listened to men and not to God.
He makes those same promises to us today, but we must trust Him and obey Him! Don’t let your heart be melted by listening to faithless naysayers! Listen to God!