Josephus, a first century Jewish historian, had this comment to make about the year Jesus was crucified. He said that in Jerusalem, the day Jesus was crucified, there were approximately 256,500 lambs slaughtered. That year the lambs were prepared at 9:00 a.m. on the morning of the 14th. They were prepared at 9:00 a.m. and they were killed at 3:00 p.m. so that everything could be completed by 6:00 p.m.

At the exact time that the Jews were preparing their lambs, Jesus was being nailed to the cross. I've always wondered why these times in the Bible were mentioned. Why is it important to us what time of day it was?

Here's the reason. Everything in the Word of God has a purpose. Everything in the Word of God has a reason. Everything is there, not by accident, but with great purpose.

In Mark 15:25 it says, "Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him." The third hour is 9:00 a.m. At 3:00 p.m. as the people were slaughtering the lambs, that's when Jesus died.

Mark was extremely careful to note the time as the ninth hour when Jesus breathed His last breath. It is recorded in Mark 15:33-37.

And it was the third hour (about nine o'clock in the morning) when they crucified Him. Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!" Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down." And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
(Mark 15:33-37 AMP)

Source: Life is in The Blood by Larry Ollison
Excerpt permission granted by Larry Ollison Ministries