Incense in Heaven

When John enters heaven, he sees several things “before the throne”: seven lamps that are the seven Spirits, a sea of glass like crystal, eventually a pile of discarded crowns (Revelation 4:5, 6, 10). Elders sit on thrones around the throne (4:4). He doesn’t see any altar.

He also doesn’t see a Lamb, but then suddenly there’s a Lamb (5:6). And at the same time, the elders and creatures get some incense (5:8). At that point, though, the incense isn’t used.

144,000 are sealed for martyrdom, and John sees a great multitude who have come through the tribulation standing “before the throne” (7:9). Once that multitude gets before the throne there’s also an altar “before the throne” (8:3), and an angel sends up the smoke of the incense “out of his hand” before God (8:4).

So, the sequence is: Lamb ascends, and incense appears; martyrs sealed, and saints ascend; and when saints ascend, incense smoke ascends. 

Apparently, it takes more than a Lamb in heaven for the incense, mingled with the prayers of the saints, to rise before God. Prayers and incense arise to God because the Lamb brings a multitude into heaven with Him.