Revelation 8-9   The seventh seal is broken by Jesus and "there was silence in heaven for about half an hour."   This ushers in the 7 angels who will sound their trumpets.. each a terrible judgement on the earth. Before that happens another angel lifts up the censer of incense added to the prayers of the saints. 

I have been reading in my devotional book by Andrew Murray about the power of intercession.  It is our privilege and our responsibility to join our prayers of intercession with those of our Savior who is even now interceding for us at the right hand of the Father.   Murray says, " The Father has bestowed the Holy Spirit to breath the very Spirit of His Son into our hearts. Our Lord would have us yield ourselves as wholly to God as He did; to pray like Him that God's love should be made manifest on earth at any cost."  

Perhaps.. it is those prayers, prayers of intercession for the lost that are lifted up before God, so that some might still be saved before these terrible judgements fall upon the earth.. 

Even before the first trumpet sounds the angel throws the censer full of fire from the altar of God.. bringing thunder, lightning and an earthquake. 

The first trumpet brings "hail and fire, mixed with blood.. and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up."

The second trumpet sound is accompanied by a "great mountain burning with fire.." thrown into the sea, turning a third of it to blood and killing a third of the sea creatures and destroying a third of the ships.

The third trumpet is sounded and  "a great star from heaven, burning like a torch" fell from heaven and poisoned rivers and springs. 

With the fourth trumpet a third of the sun, the moon, and the stars were darkened.

The fifth trumpet brings the terrible locusts/scorpions/army of creatures that cause terrible pain for 5 months.. but only to those not having the seal of God. 

The sixth trumpet brings an army of 200 million horsemen riding on horses who have heads like lions and tails like serpents.. who kill another third of mankind with fire, smoke, and brimstone.

Yet, even with all of this, John is told.. "And the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries, nor of their immorality nor of their thefts." 

Father in heaven,  You have called us to the work of intercession.. and too often we fail to be faithful to this vital calling. Forgive us.  You have given us the Spirit of Christ, that we might join Him in this ministry before the day of judgement comes.  Help us Lord to know, to believe, and to DO the work that You have granted us.. that Your Kingdom Truth will ring out across the earth and our prayers will rise like the incense in heaven before Your throne.  So many.. lost and without hope.. Father, send forth Your workers into the harvest fields. Spirit of God, breathe "God's own desire into us" and enable us to intercede for others. We are willing Lord..   In the Name and power of our Lord Jesus we pray. Amen.