That would impute an entirely different motivation on god that is not justified in the text.
Based on what? Your interpretation of what God is and says? There is no singular correct interpretation and asserting yours is the correct one is bizarre.
You have moved well beyond the text to say that he lied. Show where it ever says "And then God lied" or something like that. All we know is that he said something at one time regarding a hypothetical situation, and then did not do exactly what he suggested he might do when confronted with the real event.
It could have been a change of heart due to mercy, or perhaps a greater cruelty. Maybe he felt oblivion wasn't as good as removing them from paradise first.
It might also be mentioned that the condition was different. He told them not to eat it and the text pretty plainly states they were duped into it. The serpent wanted to create a break between them and God, and did so by convincing them to eat it. God may very well have seen this as a reason not to have held them as accountable and so worthy as great a punishment.
What I find interesting is that you make this claim of falsehood against God, when it is not in the text,and suggest the serpent was somehow truthful when the text explicitly describes the snake as less than honest.
Given the bloody-mindedness of the god described in the Old Testament, there is no real justification to say that "god didn't really mean it" in Genesis 3. By all indications, he really did.
Sure there is justification. God shifts from merciful to cruel throughout the old testament. You can't say here he was cruel and so he must always be.
And that is not to mention what I was arguing above and which purpledawn seemed to be suggesting (as he was agreeing with me) that though he might have "meant it" when he said it, when confronted with the situation he changed his mind. And indeed maybe all he "meant" was to put the scare into them so they would not think of doing it. There is no suggestion in the Bible that he could not have been capable of such activity.
holmes
"What you need is sustained outrage...there's far too much unthinking respect given to authority." (M.Ivins)