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GOD set the exact date for the Passover Festival in the book of Exodus. At this same time, HE also established the new calendar for HIS people to follow forever. In the Complete Jewish Bible, Exodus 12:1-6 says:
Adonai spoke to Moshe and Aharon in the land of Egypt; HE said, “You are to begin your calendar with this month; it will be the First Month of the year for you. Speak to all the assembly of Israel and say, ‘On the tenth (10^th) day of this month (First Month), each man is to take a lamb … Your animal must be without defect, a male in its first year, … You are to keep it until the fourteenth (14^th) day of the month, (First Month), and then the entire assembly of the community of Israel will slaughter it at dusk.”

Yeshua (Jesus) was fully aware of the set date for the Passover Seder and that this would also be the date that the Father had set for Him to establish the New Covenant and to be crucified! Matthew 26:2 (CJB) “As you know, Pesach is two days away, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be nailed to the execution stake.” We can all be thankful to the Jewish people for keeping GOD’s biblical calendar, because without it, believers today would not know the date and time of our Messiah’s crucifixion or any of the other Appointed Times on God’s calendar.

I must note here that we know that the term “this month” is commonly referred to as “Nisan” but GOD simply calls it the First Month. Most bible scholars use the name “Nisan” for the first month on the biblical calendar. Bible students know throughout the scriptures, there are numerous references such as: “in the first month”, or “in the third month” or “in the sixth month.” The word “Nisan” is a Babylonian name and on the Hebrew and Babylonian calendars it is first month of the spring season. I find it very interesting that, it is the time of year that all of God’s creation is springing forth with new life; being reborn after the dead, dark winter season.

It was during Yeshua’s last Passover Seder on earth that He introduced the New Covenant that was promised to Israel by GOD in Jeremiah 31. This is the beginning of what we know today as ” New Testament” Passover; one of the foundations of the Christian faith. In a single night, during his final meal in the upper room,“Yeshua (Jesus) Transforms Passover from Mosaic to Messianic! Before this night, the Passover focus for thousands of years had always been on the remembrance of the redemption received through Moses. NOW a new focal point, spiritual deliverance through the Messiah who provides redemption from sin forever through His shed blood and crucified body!“ That night Yeshua taught His disciples several principles of the Kingdom of God.

LESSONS FROM THE LAST SEDER

1. Love One Another: After they finished eating, Jesus told His Apostles that they should love one another as He had loved them. John 13:34-35 (CJB) “I am giving you a new command: that you keep on loving each other. In the same way that I have loved you, you are also to keep on loving each other. Everyone will know that you are my talmidim (disciples) by the fact that you have love for each other.”
2. Keep His Commandments: Yeshua (Jesus) said that if the Apostles loved Him, they would keep His commandments. John 14:15-16 (CJB) “If you love me, you will keep my commands; and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever.”.

3   Listen to the Holy Spirit: He promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would teach them all they needed to know. John 14:26 (CJB) But the Counselor, the Ruach HaKodesh, (Holy Spirit) whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything; that is, he will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

4. Keep the Faith: Yeshua (Jesus) tells His disciples to stay faithful to His teachings, because without belief in Him as the Messiah they cannot accomplish anything or produce good fruit. John 15:5-8 (CJB) “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Those who stay united with me, and I with them, are the ones who bear much fruit; because apart from me you can’t do a thing. Unless a person remains united with me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Such branches are gathered and thrown into the fire, where they are burned up.”
5. Serve One Another: When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. John 13: 12-17 (CJB) “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
6. Established the New Covenant in His Blood: Blood covenants are found throughout the Holy Scriptures. Yeshua introduces a new blood covenant that offered salvation, forgiveness of your sins that was going to be paid for in full in His blood, not the blood of lambs and goats! It was a once and for all gift of salvation. The Messiah raises the Cup of Redemption in the Passover Seder which is the first cup to be drank after the seder meal. This cup traditionally signifies the slaying of the Passover lamb in Egypt whose blood was placed on the doorpost to spare the Israelites from the angel of death. Yeshua used this cup to establish the New Covenant. Boldly, Yeshua tells His disciples that the wine in this third cup is “My blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.” Just as the blood of an innocent animal covered the believing Israelites and Egyptians back in Egypt; the innocent blood of Yeshua, God’s Passover Lamb covers the sins of Jewish and Gentile believers today!

      Luke 22:17-20 (CJB) Then, taking a cup of wine, he made the b’rakhah (blessing) and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on, I will not drink the ‘fruit of the vine’ until the Kingdom of God comes.” Also, taking a piece of matzah, he made the b’rakhah, (blessing) broke it, gave it to them and said, “This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of me.” He did the same with the cup after the meal, saying, “This cup is the New Covenant, ratified by my blood, which is being poured out for you.”

7. Transforms Passover from Mosaic to Messianic: The profound statement that Yeshua made that night at the seder in Luke: 22:19 shifts the focus of the Passover Festival, the most sacred of the Appointed Times of God. The scripture says: ^“Also, taking a piece of matzah, he made the b’rakhah, (blessing) broke it, gave it to them and said, “This is my body, which is being given for you; do this in memory of me.” Before this night, the Passover focus for thousands of years had always been on the remembrance of the redemption received through Moses whom God chose to lead the Hebrews out of physical bondage in Egypt.

Now these devout Jews were being given a new focal point, spiritual deliverance through the Messiah who provides redemption from sin forever through His shed blood and crucified body!  This watershed moment created a new direction and things would never be the same. Yeshua had fulfilled the covenant promise, and it would be remembered and celebrated forever at Passover!

Yeshua’s last Passover Seder ends with him and the disciples singing a hymn, a song of praise, then departing from the upper room. They went to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.