The New Covenant: (Matt.26; Mk.14; Lk.22; John.13)
A careful reading of the above four passages reveals one thing. Yahshua Messiah observed the feasts as ordained by his Father (Lev.23). These feasts were a shadow or a type of which Messiah is the body or the real thing. (Col.2: 17). As a result of the Old Testament doctrine of rituals and sacrifices were done away with and nailed to the cross (Col.2: 14), because the supreme sacrifice was done by Messiah (Heb.9: 12-15). The rituals and sacrifices of the Old Testament under the Levitical priesthood could not atone for our sins permanently. By the supreme sacrifice, Messiah entered ‘once into holy place and obtained eternal redemption for us’. We read in Heb.9: 15 that Yahshua Messiah is the mediator of the new covenant. The Old Testament was imperfect (Heb.7: 19), the law could not make us perfect. So there was a need for a change in the priesthood. The Levitical priesthood was replaced by a high priest of the order of Melchizedek.  And Yahshua Messiah being a high priest is the mediator of the New Covenant.

Exodus.12: 1-11 details the ordinance of Passover. The Passover was to be sacrificed between the evenings of the 14th day of Nissan, which is the first month of the Biblical year. In all the four gospels the fact that Messiah observed the Passover is recorded.  As Messiah and his disciples ate the last Passover before crucifixion, Messiah took bread, brake it and gave it to his disciples and said, ‘take, eat this is my body which is broken for you. After supper, he took the cup, gave thanks and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘this is the blood of the New Testament which is shed for you.

A testament comes into effect when the testator or the maker of the testament dies. (Heb.9: 16). For the new covenant of Messiah, it was necessary that he should die. He was sacrificed for our sins; he died on the cross and rose again to live forever! Halleluyah!

When was the New Testament made? On the day before the Passover. Read John.13. On the day before the Passover, he partook in a meal with his disciples and there he instituted the New Testament. He asked his disciples to ‘do this in remembrance of me’. (Lk.22: 19; 1Cor.11: 29) The word remember is ‘Zakar’ in Hebrew (Strongs # 2142), which means remembrance or also memorial. When do we remember or memorialize (or observe or celebrate) our birthday? Daily? Weekly? Once a month? Or once a year? Only once a year! Messiah also wants us to observe the ceremony of the New Testament once a year, just as we observe special days!

This memorial of the New Covenant is now called the Last Supper or the Lord’s Supper. When do we have our supper? Surely, in the evenings and not at 6 a.m. or 8 a.m.! When did Messiah have it? In the evening, after sunset, at the beginning of the 14th day of Nissan.

Foot washing…an example of humility. John.13:4-12
We all know and agree and believe that Yahshua Messiah is the son of the Almighty, the King of Kings. Yet in spite of such an exalted position, he did not hesitate to humble himself to serve his disciples.
In the Eastern countries, it was the custom that before guests sat down to dinner, a servant would wash their feet. This job was usually entrusted to the lowliest of the servants. On the day before Passover, the disciples gathered in an upper room for their supper. Here Messiah did a surprising thing. He rose from supper and started to wash his disciples’ feet! They tried to object but Messiah washed everyone’s feet and then sat down! He then said, ‘Do you understand what I have been trying to tell you? You call me Master and Lord, you are right. That is what I am. Yet I am willing to do anything for you, even to wash your feet, because I love you. I want you to follow my example, Care for one another and love one another as I love you and care for you. Don’t always be thinking about yourselves and your own importance.’
This is the reason that we should wash one another’s’ feet before we partake in the Lord’s Supper or the New Testament. We humble ourselves before men and before Elohim.  Let us watch for ways to serve others to meet their need. Serving and loving others shows that we are truly the followers of Yahshua Messiah because that is what he did for us.

‘Let this mind be in you which was also in Messiah…(Phil.2: 5-9)

7 Blessings of Passover:
Ex.23: 14-30. We are commanded not to come into Yahweh’s presence empty handed (v.15). This passage tells us about the blessings we will receive when we observe the Passover.
1. He will dispatch an angel to keep, protect us. We only have to obey Yahweh always. (v.20-21)
2. Yahweh will be an enemy to our enemies. (v.22)
3. An angel will go before us into the land of the heathen and lead us to prosperity (v.23)
4. He will take away our sickness from us (v.25)
5. We will not die before our time (v.26)
6. We will inherit many blessings (v. 27)
7. What the enemy has stolen will be restored to us (v.30)