God said to the Godhead that they should make man in their image. Immediately after He said it, He said they would give man dominion over the earth and every created being in the earth. God is sovereign and He gave man the same sovereignty on the earth. Whatever God does lasts forever. Since man has dominion over the earth, he has responsibility for the government of the earth. When man fell, this responsibility was not cancelled.

Man is still responsible and being held accountable to God for the affairs of the earth.