Jacob's touch LED to the original events we have already seen by dj_wilmington

When Jacob goes around "touching" the various Lost characters, I think that he is actually altering the future in order to achieve the future outcome which we have already seen (Season 1-5). This is clearest for Sawyer who is on the brink of not writing the letter and setting out on his quest for revenge until he gets the pencil from Jacob. John Locke would have been dead or at least injured way worst than just paralyzed and thus would not have been so angry nor would he have even been able to travel to Australia for a Walkabout. Kate would have been caught, punished and learned her lesson and not stolen again as opposed to getting away with it with no consequences leading to her life of being on the run.

So, it seems to me that Jacob is doing exactly what Mrs. Hawking does which is to prevent changes to things that have happened already. So, it then leads me to believe that Mrs. Hawking and Jacob or playing for the same team. Perhaps the other guy (MIB) is the change agent. He wants things to change so that he can get off the island or out of a loop or change something that happened to him and got him where he is now. It is likely that he works with Widmore to achieve "Change". Sending the boat to the island which results in the Oceanic six leaving changes everything that Mrs. Hawking and Jacob want to happen.
But, what needed to happen is the Big Question that I think will be answered this season. The course they are on now entering Season Six should be the Jacob/Eloise course as she did get them back to the island. Perhaps MIB makes another change again in S6.
dj