This represents the elders, the saints in heaven, offering to God the prayers of his faithful on earth.
My brother, surely you believe that we are all members of one Body, which is the Body of Christ. Over and over again, in I Corinthians, Romans, Colossians, St. Paul repeats his magnificent theme that the members of one Body all love one another, all rely on each other, all need each other and all communicate with each other.
Do you imagine that once you are in heaven, you are no longer a member of the Body of Christ? You are cut off? Or you do not love as much? Or you are no longer able to pray for your loved ones in heaven as you once did upon earth?
What is you belief, really? That while in heaven you love less? You pray less? You care less? Or you are less in communion with the Body of Christ, which includes all who are joined to Him (and you) on earth?
Surely life in heaven occasions a vast expansion of knowledge, love, and prayer, not a diminishment. Or do you think God says, "I don't listen to these people: they're dead"? If that's the case, it's a pretty poor heaven.
But thank God we are all part of the Body of Christ, even if some of us give the impression of "I don't need you."
You are my fellow Christian, and I need you.
No, You dont!
You need a great Saviour!
Do you honestly think that God needs the Elders to present Him with the prayers of the faithful? Now, for sure God tells us here that the Elders did such a thing, but do you really think that humans are as powerful as God in any way?
(Psa 56:8 KJV) Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?
(Psa 56:9 KJV) When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.
Who puts the tears of the Saints in a bottle? God does.
Name one instance in the Bible where ANYONE prayed to ANYONE else other than God? If the Elders then present the vial of prayers to God, from the faithful, then who must have collected them? Who were the prayers sent to?
To pray to anyone else ascribes the attributes of God to that other person/thing, and that is idolatry. You just tried to say that some person, place, or thing can hear prayers and can speak to God for you, or through that person.
(1 Tim 2:5 KJV) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;