King Solomon harvested information from the Census to recruit workers (bearing burdens and cutting stones) for the mega project of Building the Temple. (II Chronicles 2:18)
God does not need a temple: God spoke to Isaiah that Heaven is His throne, earth his footstool. (Isaiah 66:1) When King David expressed his desire to build a temple, the Lord asked if He had commanded any of the leaders of Israel to build a temple for Him. Instead, Lord promised David that his descendants would reign forever. (II Samuel 7:1-17) Since David had shed blood in several wars, will not be the appropriate person to build a temple. To fulfill the desire of David, Lord said his son Solomon will build a temple.
Census and disaster: David in his pride, was used by Satan to instigate him, to take a census of Israel. Joab, the commander’s objection was overruled. God punished Israel; a plague killed 70000 people. God stopped the angel of death from further damage and devastation. The place where the plague stopped, Angel appeared, was chosen as the place of sacrifice, later the spot for the Temple. (I Chronicles 21)
Census data: However, the census data was persevered and not destroyed. It would have been appropriate to destroy the data, but David did not. Later Solomon used the document to identify those who were migrants.
Strangers: There were some people, former inhabitants, who were not driven out by Israel. Other people had accepted the Jewish faith and lived among them. Uriah the Hittite was one of David’s generals. David recruited them to prepare materials for the temple. (I Chronicles 22:2) Solomon forced the immigrants to do the Temple work compulsorily for four months in a year. God had commanded the Israelites not to oppress or exploit the foreigners or sojourners who dwell among them. (Exodus 22:21; 23:9)
Building project: The people of faith, Israel, outsourced the work of building the temple. When built by Israel, it becomes an expression and demonstration of faith. When it was outsourced, it became a religious structure.
Do I oppress others in the name of religion?