Biblical Contradiction: God dwells in light or darkness:

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Biblical Contradiction Explained: God dwells in light or in darkness:

God dwells in darkness:

Then Solomon said,
“The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

1 Kings 8:12

He made darkness His hiding place, His canopy around Him,
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.

Psalm 18:11

Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.

Psalm 97:2

God dwells in light:

who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.

1 Timothy 6:16

Explanation:

The first point that should be noted here is that these passages are not meant to be taken literally. To say that God literally dwells in light or darkness would be completely nonsensical. When considering the metaphorical implications of all of these passages they are really saying the same thing. That God is unapproachable.

Further, it should be noted that God was perceived very differently in the old and New Testament. In the Old Testament man was prevented by their sin from truly knowing God. God was largely a mystery in the minds of Jeremiah and David (the authors of 1 Kings and Psalms respectively).

However, Christ was the incarnation of God. God was no longer a mystery.  Man has seen him with their own eyes. Therefore, for Paul (the author of 1 Timothy) to say God is a mystery wrapped in impenetrable darkness would be inappropriate. Though he is now known, he still unapproachable. His light (or righteousness) makes him unapproachable.