Actually the “firstfruits” of Israel were resurrected right after Jesus was resurrected…
Matthew 27:52-53
King James Version
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Revelation 14
King James Version
14 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
I agree! Saints of Old who died in faith waiting and looking for the promised Messiah to come have indeed arisen from the graves AFTER the RESURRECTION of Christ. The verse tells us only that those who slept arose, it does not say they were bodily resurrected from the graves.
Matthew 27:51-53 (KJV) And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of
the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Just as the spirit that made Christ physically alive was committed to the Father after He died, so too as the spiritual body of Christ returned to heaven after Christ was resurrected from the dead.
Luke 23:46 (KJV) And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said,
Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
None of these Old Covenant faithful saints could ascend to the Father in heaven before Christ made atonement for sin through His death on the cross, and defeated death by resurrecting from the grave.
These Old Covenant saints were NOT physically resurrected from the graves! They, as Christ's spiritual body arose and went into the heavenly city, new Jerusalem, the Holy City, and there appeared to a multitude of the heavenly hosts.
How can I be certain of this? Because the Bible is very clear that NONE shall be bodily resurrected until the time coming when the last trumpet sounds, and according to what is written in Jo 6 that shall be "the last day". There is not to my knowledge any evidence written or physical to prove these OC saints were physically resurrected to life again. Yet we find Scripture that proves what I have told you.
Revelation 5:11-12 (KJV) And I beheld, and
I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.
Hebrews 12:22-23 (KJV) But
ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,