the sound of silence

In reading through the Revelation to John, there's a word that stands out, used only once, and a total of three times in the New Testament.  It's "silence":  When [The Lamb] opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour (Revelation 8:1).  During this time of silence, John saw a ministering angel who came to the heavenly altar in front of The Throne with a censer and received much incense, such that the smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God's People, went up before God (Revelation 8:4).  

Why this time of silence?  Apparently, in the Jewish Talmud seven heavens are distinguished (Paul says he was taken to the third heaven in 2 Corinthians 12:2). The Talmud states that in the fifth heaven "there are companies of ministering angels, who utter songs by night, but are silent by day for the sake of Israel’s glory".  Their silence enables the prayers and praises of Israel to get through to God.  Similarly, Revelation 4 and 5 describes the exultant worship of the angels, but here, in Revelation 8, heaven is silenced, perhaps in order that the prayers of all of God's people may be heard, and so that God's People may hear The One True Prayer of the Lamb Who is interceding for them at that Throne (Romans 8:34).

In this loud and wordy world, with many sounds and voices competing for our attention, including the many prayers our fitful minds could fashion, it's good for us to join in the heavenly sound of silence: to listen in The Holy Spirit for that powerful Voice of The Risen Lamb interceding for us and for all; and to hear the prayers of all of God's People, and particularly those who suffer for Him.  Then we can join our voices with theirs, as our prayers are lifted up with incense before our God seated on The Throne.