Moses plays the dominant human role in this book. Deuteronomy records his farewell messages, and at the end, records his death. The focus of the book, however, is the audience, the people of Israel. They are reminded and challenged as they prepare to enter into the land God is giving to them.
The stage for Deuteronomy is "the desert east of the Jordan." As such, the Jordan river serves as the conspicuous marker between the old era and the new. It is on the doorstep of the land that Moses' messages are delivered. Within those messages Moses looks back to significant places, such as the Red Sea, Kadesh Barnea, the desert, and the land of the Amorites. Notably, Moses also looks ahead to two mountains, Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal, where all the blessings and the curses of the covenant would be recited. Deuteronomy closes on Mount Nebo, where Moses was allowed to see the Promised Land before dying.
