"And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?
This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-11) Without a doubt these men who here stood by the disciples in white apparel were angels or messengers sent of the Lord thus to witness to them, which angels doubtless materialized in human form for that very purpose and afterward dematerialized and disappeared.

This additional testimony was given, however, that the faith of the disciples might be complete that the Lord would come again.
[364]This fact was so definitely established in the minds of the apostles that they often spoke and wrote of the second coming of the Lord.

In fact, it is the great event to which they and all other true followers of the Master have looked forward.

(1 Corinthians 1:7; 15:23; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; James 5:7,8; 2 Peter 1:16; Acts 3:19-21; Philippians 3:20) Of his coming again and the blessings his presence will bring to those that love him further testimony was given by the apostle Paul when he wrote to Timothy: "I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.