John 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 23 Jesus saith unto her, thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
[Christ Triumphant pp 286] Those who had been raised were presented as trophies to the heavenly universe—samples of the resurrection of all who receive and believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. They were a symbol of the final resurrection of the righteous…. Another instance of God’s power to resurrect dead persons was given when Jesus raised Lazarus to life, after he had been dead for a few days.
This instance is important for us to understand, because it lends itself to the passage in Job, where the Bible says, he that goes down to the grave will not come back for a revisit. When Jesus had raised the damsel to life the scribes and pharisees had seized on His words and distorted them to try to show that it was not a real miracle for Jesus Himself had declared that she was not dead, but was sleeping.
Thus, it was necessary to correct those errors of the Jews, by Christ raising a decomposing body back to life, so that our faith in His power to resurrect would transcend decomposition. This is the reason why He waited for four days before going to raise Lazurus so that Lazurus would be confirmed as very dead.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!