Week 41 Acts 1
When Jesus left earth for the last time he just disappeared into the sky and the disciples were left-hanging. So two angels came and told them: this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.
So this means that Jesus’ (future) return to earth is going to be similar to his departure. Question: what’ll it be like when Jesus comes back? Answer: he’ll reverse the steps he took when he left. He’ll: a) appear in a cloud and b) descend to the surface of earth.
From other reading I know this is a real bare-bones description – other things will happen too. I do a cross-reference check of Paul. One of the verses he adds to the mix says: for the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Paul doesn’t mention a cloud but he confirms the descent from the sky…and he adds those couple of extra features:
a) an archangel will shout a loud command
b) there’ll be a trumpet blast
c) dead people who believed in Jesus will be resurrected.
So the angels’ promise to the disciples was adequate but incomplete. A more comprehensive list takes a bit more digging.
Note: quotes from Acts 1:11 & 1 Thessalonians 4:16 (NIV)