You asked

how do later biblical books build on or re evaluate genesis's declaration that creation is 'very good'?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Genesis 1:31

“God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”

This verse concludes the creation account in Genesis chapter 1, following God's creation of the heavens, earth, plants, animals, and humanity. It serves as God's final assessment of the entire created order before the Sabbath.

How does this ancient affirmation of creation's goodness shape our understanding of the world around us, even amidst its imperfections?

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Read alongside it

Psalm 104:24
This Psalm praises God for the wisdom and abundance evident in all his works throughout creation.
Romans 8:19-22
This passage describes creation's longing for liberation, suggesting its current state is not its ultimate, intended 'very good' reality.
1 Timothy 4:4
This New Testament verse affirms that everything God created is good, and nothing should be rejected if received with thanksgiving.

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