[Matata]

I'm guessing that the numbers 4 8 15 16 23 42 may be an effect and not a cause. We know the hatch was marked with the numbers, that the 'light energy' connects the island to everything living, and the hatch is likely the highest source of 'light energy' besides the hidden well itself. Mayhaps the hatch was disturbing the light energy, creating a distortion in it's connection to the rest of the world, with the numbers being the route of that connection.

I think the writers are going to leave some things unexplained, when really, they've given us the tools to figure things out on our own. Lost will be the gift that keeps giving. I look forward to watching the series again, knowing some of the secrets and figuring out the old ones will make it worth watching again.