The new creation man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
The natural man, living from his darkened intellect and perceptions, converts or translates God's communication into (vain) images, idols and symbols - worshiping and satisfying himself with forms.

To the newly created man Spirit is substance. Symbols and images are only so many distant ideas of that substance - as far as a photograph is from the breathing person it represents.

When God commanded light to shine out of darkness, He did not then create light. He, in Himself was original, perpetual light.- the very Father of Lights. He merely released His uncreated light into another realm through speech. When God speaks now, the new creation recognizes his native tongue and leaps to unite with the substance that word communicates.