Emphasis Preaching Journal

(C)
Joshua led the children of Israel out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land at a place called Gilgal on the Jordan River. John the Baptizer selected Gilgal as the place to call Israel back to their convenant with God. It is as if John was saying, "The first Israel is dead, having turned away from God. There must now be a new Israel!" And in the text Jesus comes to identify with John the Baptizer's preaching for a new Israel, clean from sin and faithful to God.
-- Crotts