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 On the eve of the Passover in the Upper Room, Yeshua (Jesus) turned the traditional Jewish Passover Seder meal into a watershed moment, when He introduced the New Covenant in His blood. This transformed the meaning of the Passover Festival forever; transcending it from the Mosaic Age and elevating it to the Messianic Age. Yeshua redefined faith in the God of Israel. This New Covenant offered humankind salvation, forgiveness of sins, healing and reconciliation with the FATHER. From this point forward there was no need for the animal sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins because Yeshua’s  shed blood on Passover paid the blood price for the sins of the world.

We know that since the exodus from Egypt (the first Passover) the Hebrews constantly fell short of the holy lifestyle God wanted for HIS people. For generations after the first Passover, God judged everyone who willfully sinned and rebelled against HIS will. Thousands of people were put to death by God for their sins.

For example,  Korah and those who joined him in the rebellion against Moses were killed by being either swallowed in the earth or consumed by fire. Those who still continued to sustain his evil leadership, even after Korah’s death, were killed in a plague (see Numbers 16:49)

Those who doubted that they could attain the Promised Land died in the desert, never having had an opportunity to see the land. According to tradition, thousands died every day, this harrowing ritual was repeated annually for forty years, until the original 600,000 Israelites (some estimates say 1.6 million people) who left Egypt were all dead. Only Joshua, Caleb, and Moses himself remained of the original company that came out of Egypt.

Numbers 21:6-7 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

The list of punishments for sin goes on. If ever there was a need for a savior like Yeshua (Jesus), to die once and for all, for the sins of the world I think this was it!

God promised Israel that HE would initiate a new covenant.  HE distinguishes this new covenant as “not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt” Clearly this is very different and “not like” the Mosaic covenant, the Law of Moses. This new covenant was tied to the Messiah who would come to save His people.  And there are identifying markers in the scriptures to describe and identify the Messiah.  Here are just a few Old Testament Prophecies about the Coming of the Messiah:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 in the Complete Jewish Bible:

31 (32) It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers on the day I took them by their hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt; because they, for their part, violated my covenant, even though I, for my part, was a husband to them,” says Adonai. 32 (33) “For this is the covenant I will make with the house of Isra’el after those days,” says Adonai: “I will put my Torah within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 33 (34) No longer will any of them teach his fellow community member or his brother, ‘Know Adonai’; for all will know me, from the least of them to the greatest; because I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.”

Isaiah 9:5-6 Complete Jewish Bible:

5 (6) For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El Gibbor , Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom, [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace],  6 (7) in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of Adonai-Tzva’ot will accomplish this.

    According to the Chicago Jewish News, “It is generally believed by scholars that the first Passover took place in Egypt in the spring of 1446 BCE, about a year after the start of the Exodus from Egypt. If this is the case, then there would have been about 1,400 years between the first Passover and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in 33 CE. However, some scholars believe that the first Passover took place earlier, in the spring of 1630 BCE. This would put the date of the crucifixion of Christ at about 1,600 years after the first Passover. Either way, there is a significant amount of time between the two events. This time span is important because it shows the longevity of the Jewish people and their ability to maintain their religious traditions. It also highlights the importance of Passover in Judeo-Christian history.   https://www.chicagojewishnews.com/how-many-years-between-first-passover-and-jesus/

The earthly ministry of Yeshua the Messiah ushered in a new kind of faith, that offered a personal relationship with GOD the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit. The New Covenant introduced by Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) had been promised by God generations before He was born. We read about it in the Old Testament! And GOD Himself chose the holy Appointed Time of Passover, the most sacred celebration, and the first deliverance of a people from the sin and slavery; as the backdrop for the HIS New Covenant to be instituted!

During the time of 33 CE, Yeshua’s ministry had already gained tens of thousands of followers both Jew and Gentile according to the gospels of Matthew and Mark. This promised Messiah who is documented in great detail in scripture and prophetic testimony; had fulfilled all the prophecies in the Old Testament. Remember, the New Testament had not been written yet! Bible scholars estimate there are approximately 300 to 350 Messianic Prophecies in scripture.

The New Testament Passover was ushered in with a Passover Seder meal, a betrayal for 30 pieces of silver, death by crucifixion on a cross and the glorious resurrection of  Messiah Yeshua from the dead!  The New Testament Passover brought deliverance from sin for all who accepted the Messiah and offered salvation to the world, Jew and Gentile.

Hebrews 10:1-10 – For the Torah has in it a shadow of the good things to come, but not the actual manifestation of the originals. Therefore, it can never, by means of the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, bring to the goal those who approach the Holy Place to offer them. 2 Otherwise, wouldn’t the offering of those sacrifices have ceased? For if the people performing the service had been cleansed once and for all, they would no longer have sins on their conscience. 3 No, it is quite the contrary — in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year. 4 For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. 5 This is why, on coming into the world, he says, “It has not been your will to have an animal sacrifice and a meal offering; rather, you have prepared for me a body.
6 No, you have not been pleased with burnt offerings and sin offerings. 7 Then I said, ‘Look! In the scroll of the book it is written about me. I have come to do your will.’

8 In saying first, “You neither willed nor were pleased with animal sacrifices, meal offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings,” things which are offered in accordance with the Torah; 9 and then, “Look, I have come to do your will”; he takes away the first system in order to set up the second. 10 It is in connection with this will that we have been separated for God and made holy, once and for all, through the offering of Yeshua the Messiah’s body.

This is why Passover, not Easter, is the  Appointed Time to remember and honor our Savior, the Son of David, the Lamb of God!

PS: There was no ham on the table at that Passover Seder Meal, just lamb, unleavened bread, bitter herbs and wine.