During times of severe trouble, the true value of what people rely on is put to the test. The people of Judah are forced to confront the absolute powerlessness of the false gods they chose to worship. Rather than turning to God, they placed their trust in man-made objects, and God now issues a direct challenge: let the people search for those idols of wood, stone, and metal that they crafted with their own hands [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Since the people themselves created these figures, the idols should theoretically owe their makers a favor. The ultimate test is whether these creations can actually rise up and offer salvation during a period of deep pain and distress [מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, צאינה וראינה]. God makes it clear that the people have no right to complain to Him about their suffering. Because they rebelled against Him and refused to listen to His prophets, God has no obligation to rescue them; instead, they must look for help from the very idols they trusted [מלבי״ם, צאינה וראינה].
Should the people of Judah attempt to deny their involvement in idol worship, they are immediately confronted with the sheer volume of their false gods [רד״ק]. Every single city in Judah hosted a different god and a unique ritual [רש״י, רד״ק, צאינה וראינה]. The nation was not satisfied with just one form of worship. They adopted a vast, diverse collection of practices from all the neighboring lands, even crafting images of the stars [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Because these idols were everywhere, they were highly accessible, meaning the people should have no trouble calling upon them for immediate help [מלבי״ם]. Ultimately, this massive number of gods serves as the greatest proof of their complete uselessness. If the people had worshiped only one idol, they might have excused its failure by claiming that one specific god simply lacked strength. However, since they embraced every possible form of worship, with as many gods as there were cities, the failure of even a single idol to rise and save them proves beyond doubt that none of them possess any power at all [אהבת יהונתן].