Asleep unto the World

When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, " How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?"
And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.

Revelation 6:9-11

In prior times I had considered this passage to be possible evidence that the saints in heaven, who await the final resurrection and consummation of all things, are to some degree aware with the goings-on in world history. Thus they inquire when God will act out his final day of consummate judgment, which means all things will have their finality. But upon further reflection this passage seems to depict just the opposite. The imagery of the souls resting underneath the altar, then crying out, then being told to rest a little while longer, correlates perfectly with Paul's description of the dead in Christ as those who have "fallen asleep." These souls are asleep under the altar, they wake up to ask "What time is it?" (N.T. Wright's paraphrase), and then told to go back to sleep. They are resting in heaven in this intermediate state between their bodily deaths and their bodily resurrection, asleep unto the world and even gently dissuaded by the Lord from worrying about the times or seasons until final glorification.

It seems I'm afraid that prayers to saints which are so prevalent in certain traditions are unfortunate exercises in futility. Our departed brothers and sisters are getting a momentary but well deserved rest, asleep unto the world.