Genesis 1 Isn’t About Science—It’s About You

This article has been taken from content of the same information at Whiskey and the Writings. For that video, click here.

Welcome back to the Writings section here on Whiskey and the Writings. We’re jumping straight into a conversation that sits at the foundation of everything: the creation story in Genesis chapter 1.

Now, if you’ve been around since I launched this channel, you might remember the original three-part deep dive on Genesis 1. The quality back then? Rough. But the heart was there. If you’re curious, those videos are still up—and you’re welcome to check them out. But today, we’re coming back to Genesis 1 from a different angle. A deeper one. One I think just might reframe how you read the whole Bible.

Genesis 1: Not a Science Text

Here’s the thing—what I don’t believe Genesis 1 is trying to do is explain the science of how the world came to be. I know that’s a big statement. Especially for those of us who were raised with a six-day literal creation framework, where the Bible and science are expected to be in constant harmony. I’m not here to tear that down or tell you to stop believing it.

But I am here to offer another angle. Another side of the diamond, if you will.

What if Genesis 1 isn’t primarily concerned with material origins? What if it’s not about how stuff was made, but about why it exists in the first place?

Reading Ancient Text with Ancient Ears

This is a big part of it: we bring our modern assumptions to ancient texts. We’re asking questions that Genesis 1 was never trying to answer. When we demand that it answer our scientific questions, we might be missing its actual message.

To understand Genesis 1, we have to try—just for a moment—to step into the shoes of the ancient audience. They weren’t looking for a science lesson. They weren’t measuring light years or mapping DNA. They were asking deeper human questions: Why are we here? Who made us? What’s our place in this world?

And Genesis answers those questions with beauty and depth.

The House Becomes a Home

One of the analogies I’ve used before—and still love—is the difference between a house and a home.

Think about this: when you buy a house, it’s just a structure. Empty walls. Rooms waiting for meaning. But once you designate space—this room’s the kitchen, this one’s the bedroom—and move in furniture, and finally take up residence? Now it’s a home.

Genesis 1 works the same way.

• Days 1–3: God is assigning and designating space—light and dark, sky and sea, land.

• Days 4–6: God fills those spaces with purpose—sun, moon, stars, birds, fish, animals, humans.

• Day 6 climax: God places humans in this world as his imagebearers—people who reflect his nature into creation.

That’s when the house becomes a home. When God’s imagebearers move in and start living out his goodness.

Influences: Walton, Wright, and More

If you’re wondering where this reading comes from, a lot of it has been shaped by the work of Dr. John Walton from Wheaton College and N.T. Wright—along with others like Tim Mackey. These thinkers helped me realize that Genesis 1 isn’t just about chronology or biology—it’s about vocation. Purpose. Function.

It’s about how the world becomes a space for relationship. With God. With one another. With creation.

What God Called “Very Good”

Genesis 1:31 is a big verse for me. I literally have it tattooed around my arm.

“God saw all that he had made—and it was very good.”

The Hebrew word there is Tov. That’s where Stories of TOV gets its name. It means good in the richest, deepest, most holistic sense. It’s not just moral goodness. It’s harmony, beauty, rightness.

This is what God wanted. This is what Genesis is showing us. A world that’s functional, flourishing, and filled with humans who bring that tov wherever they go.

The Framework That Shapes Everything Else

I can’t say this enough: Genesis 1 and 2 create the framework for the entire biblical story.

• Want to know what God cares about? Genesis 1–2.

• Want to understand the gospel and why Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God? Genesis 1–2.

• Wondering what eternity is meant to be? Genesis 1–2.

If you try to start the story somewhere else—like Judges or Paul’s letters—you’ll miss the setup. You’ll misread what God is up to. Genesis 1 is the overture to the entire symphony. It’s what tells us that this world is not an accident. That creation was made with intention. And that humanity has a role to play.

So… What Now?

If you’re someone who’s wrestled with purpose, meaning, or whether this life is heading anywhere… Genesis 1 might be more relevant than you thought.

It tells a story of a world made good. A God who shares creation rather than hoarding it. A Creator who hands us the keys to the house and says, “Now go make this place a home.”

We know the story goes off track in Genesis 3—but hold that for now. Genesis 1 ends with a blessing. A calling. A commission.

It’s not a science manual.

It’s a mission briefing.

So maybe, just maybe, we can stop asking, “How was the world made?” and start asking, “How can I live into the goodness I was made for?”

Take it. Wrestle with it. Sit with Genesis 1 this week and ask not “What facts can I extract?” but “What story is being told—and what does it mean for me?”

Thanks for reading.

Grace and Tov,

Joe