gistfile1.php

/**
 * Load alternate page on front page
 */
function prefix_query_change( $query ) {

    // Only filter the main query on the front-end
    if ( is_admin() || ! $query->is_main_query() ) {
    	return;
    }

    global $wp;
    $front = false;

	// If the latest posts are showing on the home page
    if ( ( is_home() && empty( $wp->query_string ) ) ) {
    	$front = true;
    }

	// If a static page is set as the home page
    if ( ( $query->get( 'page_id' ) == get_option( 'page_on_front' ) && get_option( 'page_on_front' ) ) || empty( $wp->query_string ) ) {
    	$front = true;
    }

    if ( $front ) :

        $query->set( 'post_type', 'page' );
        $query->set( 'pagename', 'home' ); // Page slug

        // Set properties to match a page
        $query->is_page = 1;

    endif;

}
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'prefix_query_change' );

If a page is set as the home page, this won't actually work.

Turns out you need to use the ID:

$query->set( 'page_id', '2965' ); // Example ID

Rather than:

$query->set( 'pagename', 'home' ); // Page slug

Full example:

/**
 * Load alternate page on front page
 */
function prefix_query_change( $query ) {

    // Only filter the main query on the front-end
    if ( is_admin() || ! $query->is_main_query() ) {
        return;
    }

    global $wp;
    $front = false;

    // If a static page is set as the home page
    if ( ( $query->get( 'page_id' ) == get_option( 'page_on_front' ) && get_option( 'page_on_front' ) ) || empty( $wp->query_string ) ) {
        $query->set( 'page_id', '2965' );
    }

}
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'prefix_query_change' );