Replies

Scripture shows that heaven’s inhabitants hear us, which they couldn’t do if they were “dead.”

Actually, those verses in no way state that heaven's inhabitants hear us.

Psalm 103:20-21 “Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do His word, hearkening to the voice of His word! .Bless the Lord, all His hosts, His ministers that do His will!”

Psalm 148:1-2

“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!”

These verses would make no sense if those in heaven could not hear us.

Of course they would because all they are doing is telling us what the angels are doing. The second one, out of Psalm 148, doesn't say a thing about angels being able to hear us, only that they are praising God.

What they state is that the angels are doing GOD'S bidding, hearkening to the voice of HIS word.

None of the other verses you posted say that those in heaven have the power to either hear us or answer our prayers.

God has promised in Scripture that HE will hear and answer our prayers HIMSELF. If that's the case, at the very least, there's simply no need to pray to saints for anything. Not to mention that time dedicated to praying to saints is time taken away from praying to God.

Those in heaven not only pray with us, they pray for us and can present our requests to God. “When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints,” Rev. 5:8. “Another angel with a golden censer came and stood at the altar; he was given a great quantity of incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar that is before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel,” Rev. 8:3-4. These verses show (1) those in heaven have access to our prayers, and (2) those in heaven can offer our prayers to God. None of this would make any sense whatsoever if those in heaven were "dead" or "asleep."