Where was the Lord and what was He doing those three days and three nights before ascending to His Father? Here is my view.
1. Jesus died (on Wednesday 3pm)
2. He rent the veil in the temple from top to bottom, entered the holy of holies and offered His blood, closing the OT and beginning the new.
3. He went to hell to deposit the sins of the world into the fire, preached to the spirits in prison, and got the keys to hell and death.
4. He walked across the great gulf to Abraham’s bosom (Jesus can walk on water) where He met the thief that same day, before 6pm, in Abraham’s bosom which was paradise. Meanwhile, His body was placed in the tomb at 6pm or thereabouts.
6. He resurrected after 6pm Saturday (which would be Sunday), showed himself to Mary early that morning, and ascended to heaven with the captives. Later that same day, He revealed himself to the disciples.
The way I interpret the Bible is Jesus went to the cross, took the sins of the world upon Him, shed His blood to wash away those sins, and died, laid down those sins, and went to conquer death, and hell or hades, which He has the keys to death and hell for he conquered both, and to deliver the saints from death, and hell.
Rose from the grave in which He had not ascended to heaven yet to put the blood on the mercy seat which is why He told Mary not to touch Him yet for He had not ascended to the Father, and told Mary to go tell the disciples He had risen.
Then ascended to the Father and put the blood on the mercy seat making the New Testament come in to affect.
Then came back and showed Himself to the disciples which Thomas said he will not believe the Lord is risen until he sees the prints in his hands, and put his finger in the print of the nail, and thrust his hand in to His side, which then Jesus allowed Thomas to touch Him for He already put the blood on the mercy seat, and Thomas touched him and knew He had risen and said my Lord, and my God.
Concerning the veil being torn in two it stated that it happened while Jesus was on the cross in the physical temple.
But it seems like it must apply spiritually but that probably is covered when Jesus resurrected to heaven which Jesus said no man had entered heaven before and He is the first one, and then applied the blood to the mercy seat, so entering the Holy Of Holies is entering in to heaven where the mercy seat it at.
Then Jesus showed Himself for 40 days after that to the disciples, and then on the Mount of Olives while speaking to them He ascended to heaven and the disciples were told that He would descend the same way as He ascended which Jesus will fight the world standing on the Mount of Olives and defeat them at the battle of Armageddon for all nations shall be gathered together against Jerusalem so they are all in one area.
Then at the day of Pentecost the Spirit was made available to the people and to be added to the Church.
Which the Old Testament saints arose to be with the Lord for there is no reason for their soul to stay on earth when Jesus arose and He conquered death and hell so they can access to heaven.
And all saints who die shall be with the Lord for to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, which the Bible says there are souls under the altar that ask Jesus when He will avenge them, and He said when all the saints are with Him which the resurrection will be all the saints with Him.
Which they probably have not received their glorified body yet, which may be why the Bible says their souls are under the altar, and at the resurrection when it says the dead shall rise first may mean that the saints that are with Jesus will receive their glorified body at that time, and then those which are alive shall be caught up to meet them where they receive their glorified body.
For the saints that have died in the Lord are with the Lord, so their soul cannot be in the grave so the dead shall rise first must mean they receive a glorified body first.
