Lost!

[JWBear]

I'm sure that having turned the wheel has something to do with it; but perhaps there is an intelligence at work in this. We still do not know who (or what) Jacob is, and how much control over what happens on (and off) the Island that he has.

[Pirate Bill]

Originally Posted by JWBear

...perhaps there is an intelligence at work in this.

There must be. The points in time they would jump to with each flash seem a little more than random. It's almost like Lock or someone else in the group needed to be in some of those points in time for some purpose and that the island (or some intelligence as you say) put them there.