Defense of 6 Day Creation

OK, I'm not gonna lie. This has been on my mind a lot lately. There are a large number of christians who view the beginning portion of genesis as a figurative writing and not something to be taken literally. There is also a large number believing it to be literal. I fall on the literal side of the fence and i thought I'd organize my thoughts and evidences on the matter here. Keep in mind, I'm not "arguing" from a scientific standpoint, just a biblical one. So, if you don't believe the Bible, this probably doesn't mean much to you, but you will hopefully find it interesting anyway.

1. What is the meaning of the word "day" as used in Genesis 1?

The Hebrew word translated "day" in Genesis 1 is "yom." The argument is that "yom" is an indefinite period of time, thus one can't restrict the six "yoms" in Genesis 1 to mean six days.

The only way to determine what "yom" means when used is by the context.

It's interesting to note that one doesn't have to look hard because it's defined each and every time it is used. "There was evening, and there was morning, (1,2,3,4,5, and 6) day(s). Also, there is a more direct definition given as well: "the light He called day." There is a portion of light once every 24 hours separated by darkness "called night." This phenomena is experienced by us today.

2. was the first "week" in Genesis is a poem never meant to be taken as literally what it says?

One can write it off as a poem if desired but a few things should be noted first: (i) the ironic defining of "day" as we perceive it instead of just simply using "yom" without explanation as to its length (ii) if there were such a person that actually wanted to explain that the earth was created in 6 days, in what way would Genesis 1 be written differently? (iii) for what purpose does a meaningless creation poem serve but confusion and ambiguity? (iv) if evolutionary theories didn't exist, would we be having this conversation?

3. The most convincing reason to me: The Sabbath Day. Look Exodus 20:8-11

When issuing the 10 Commandments to Moses God reiterated resting on the sabbath day and reminded them that he created the world in 6 days ("yom", yep, same word). This was no new commandment either, they were already resting on the 7th day. Note Exodus 16:24-30. If there was any amiguity as to how long it took God to create the earth, it is settled here. Note also Exodus 31:17. It was such a big deal not to work on the sabbath that it was punishable by death. There was no confusion how long the Lord worked in creating the earth to the Israelite. It continued to be a literal day of rest clear through the time of Jesus. Notice there is never a correction by Jesus on the length of the sabbath. It was established fact. You work 6, you rest 1. Our current week is based on this system.