My guess is that it's tied into electricity and perhaps the original button pushing. Something about electricity put Jacob into his current state (dimension shift? he's there but out of phase?... I hope not because that is standard sci fi stuff that's been explored to death already). Anyway, the flashlight -- i.e. use of electricity -- triggered all kinds of craziness. I think it's not because Jacob doesn't "like" technology but because his state, whatever it is, does not react well to electric fields, even small flashlight-sized ones.

What's even weirder is that it looked like the knocked over lantern set the place on fire, but when they went outside, not only did the cabin not go up in flames, it seemed to re-set to normal. I was waiting for Locke (aka bull in a china shop) to blow up yet another valuable, information-containing site.

You really need to put your breakables up on a high shelf when John Locke comes over for tea.

Oh My Goodness xcrunner77 - you pegged it! Locke is NOT going to die - he's going to go back to the Black Rock (or find Danielle) and blow up Jacob's Shack!

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`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!'

-- Alice, from “Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland”

Wo, nice job guys. I like this theory!

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That would be the best thing ever. HA! If it does happen, Locke is just gonna be going around the island blowing things up till the show is over, I guess. Maybe he's purifying the island.

Good theory about reacting to electrical/magnetic fields. I wonder if the blowing up of the hatch last season had any kind of an impact on Jacob.

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Save the earth. It's the only planet with chocolate.

good point xcrunner, about Jacob pahsing in and out. I had idea that there is a multiverse and the island is at it's crux.. and perhasp Jacob can exist in all the dimensions... but now it seems that it's against his will.
That's probably how it's going to go, Locke will 'free' jacob by blowing up the Jake Station

I wonder if Lost gave us a hint with Ben's statement of [paraphrasing]about Jacob doesn't like technology any more than you do Locke - is a hint that Jacob is Locke, only from the future and a different timeline, who was somehow is trapped on the island in this timeline and held in that shack by something, against his will?

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`Dear, dear! How queer everything is to-day! And yesterday things went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!'

-- Alice, from “Alice’s Adventure’s in Wonderland”

hmmmm i dont know about him being Locke but there is definetely a strong connection between them, thats for sure.

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Because all we really need to survive is one person who truly loves us. And you have her.

Wait, jacob hates technology and a flashlight gave him a coronary. So the Sonic Fence was constructed to keep him out, perhaps that's the incident, except it wasn't just the shack that freaked, but the whole island. Smokey may be his pet, a dumb dog that keeps racing to the end of his leash and clotheslining himself.. he did have a picture of a dog in his shack...

Here's an alternative: Electricity gives Jacob power (which is why Ben didn't want Locke to bring the illuminated flashlight into the cabin with him. He doesn't want Jacob to have power.) Jacob only becomes visible when Locke shines his flashlight on him.

It also explains why Jacob didn't start throwing things immediately when Ben and Locke entered the cabin. He didn't have the power to do so.

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"Destiny, John...is a fickle b!tch." - Ben Linus