The sheaves are an important symbol in the study of the Book of Ruth. They are a promise to foreigners and widows that Ruth claims when Naomi fails to. They are also a symbol of blessings that arrive before us with a choice, whether to receive or not. The blessings arrived at the hands of Boaz, a kinsman, an extended family, not a stranger who could be mistaken for an angel, but rather a human being. God often acts through human beings rather than the supernatural. Yet Boaz's kindness reflects that mercy and genorosity of God proving that despite the Fall man does retain a semblance of the image of God, especially while acting within the will of God.
Ruth 2:15-16 And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded his young men, saying, Let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not: And let fall also some of the handfuls of purpose for her, and leave them, that she may glean them, and rebuke her not.
Ruth had gained favour with Boaz, not through her action but through her reputation. Even before Boaz knew who she was, he had heard of her. When the servant told Boaz that Ruth was the Moabite who had accompanied Naomi, Boaz held a kind disposition towards her. He did not treat her as a foreigner but rather acknowledged her as kin and called her "daughter" due to her youth.
The report that Boaz had received of her was that of a hard-working woman. His earnest desire was to preserve the spirit of hard work in her. So he offered her a form of protection. Boaz went to the Moabite and specifically asked her to glean among his crops, stick close to his women and not go to other fields. He did not do so out of pity but out of the knowledge of men and how they could perceive a young widow in a foreign land.
That kind of attitude is not uncommon in today's day and time. Women, who are willing to push boundaries for personal or family ambitions are often taken advantage of in this world. Boaz recognised that amidst the men and society of his time. He did not have control over everyone. However, he had control over his own men and faith in his own authority and he exercised that authority to provide sanctuary to this woman.
He extended his trust towards her by allowing her to glean not just at the edge of the fields but also among the sheaves, the area where the grains were being bound into sheaves by young women and where anyone might have the best opportunity to steal from the bound sheaves if they so desired. Apart from the trust Boaz also showed generosity. That generosity is evident in his command to his young men to purposefully drop some of the crops so that Ruth may glean from them as well.
Ruth 2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.
When Ruth returned to Naomi with the ephah (22 litres) of barley that she had got from the gathered grains, Naomi knew immediately that this couldn't have been obtained from leftover grains. Naomi immediately recognized the generosity that had multiplied Ruth's efforts. The generosity was not only done towards Ruth but also towards Naomi because returning from a foreign land they had been depleted of all resources. God's providence met them through Boaz's kindness.
The Sheaves represent that providence which was a precursor of greater things in life. Ruth being a foreigner did not understand that Boaz went out of his ways to help a foreigner. If she did perhaps she would not have taken so fondly to his kindness. In life we often refuse help from others when we feel that it is undue. However God often works undue favours upon us for the fulfilment of his purpose. The natural human reaction is to fight that favour. We want to be responsible for our own situation. When we pray fror supernatural intervention we want that to be some kind of miracle but we forget that God choses to perform miracles through the works of others. When we are hankering after our own personal miracle we are perhaps refusing a hundred of them coming our way.
The book of Ruth teaches us to accept the blessings that come from known sources. In order for the Kinsman redeemer to redeem he has to be closely related to the family. But what is more important than the blood connection is the connection. When Naomi shunned her people and travelled to Moab she did not have a hope of redemption. Naomi's redemption came through Ruth, her only connection.
Connections are important in life no matter what their nature be. When we refuse to reach out and connect with people, we are shutting out the Grace of God that He chooses to act through them. Half of the message of the cross is to love your neighbour, those around you, those that you are dealing with daily. In times of loss, it is natural to shut people out. But had Ruth chosen to do the same as her mother-in-law the only fate that would have awaited them was starvation. Instead, she brought an ephah of barley home. That is the difference between blocking God's blessings and allowing it.
