In our modern context, it can be difficult to understand what this phrase means. But in the ancient world, being made in the image of a god was a familiar concept. Most people in the ancient world lived under the rule of a king, and these kings proclaimed themselves to be a god's image on Earth, having the authority to carry out the will of the gods. These kings would also create idols—statues of wood, stone, or precious metal—that were also said to be the physical embodiment of gods on earth, or "images of god."