Acts of Apostles in the Early Church 

 "It was not long afterwards that he [Jesus] rose into the sky and disappeared into a cloud, leaving them staring after him. As they were straining their eyes for another glimpse, suddenly two white-robed men were standing there among them, and said, "Men of Galilee, where are you standing here staring at the sky? Jesus has gone away to heaven, and some day, just as he went, he will return!" (Acts 1:9-11)

After 40 days with his disciples, Jesus ascended into heaven. Two angels proclaimed to the disciples that one day Jesus would return in the same way he went--bodily and visibly.

History is not haphazard; it is moving toward a specific point--the return of Christ to judge and rule over the new earth.

We should be ready for his sudden return (1 Thessalonians 5:2), not by standing around "gazing into the sky," but by working hard to share the gospel so others will be able to share in God's great blessings.

He did so after making himself known in the breaking of the bread to the two disciples with whom he walked to Emmaus (Luke 24:31).

 Bruce also points out that this was not the first time some of the disciples witnessed Christ's heavenly glory. The words "a cloud received him out of their sight" are reminiscent of those of the transfiguration: "a cloud came and overshadowed them...."

They are also reminiscent of Jesus' own words about the parousia of the Son of Man "coming in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:26) and "coming in clouds of heaven (Mark 14:62). The cloud in each case is the cloud which envelops the glory of God (the shekhinah)--the visible token to Israel that the divine glory had taken up residence there in the Temple.