In CompileJvm.gmk there is this code:
https://github.com/openjdk/jdk/blob/2c114d676d9904094dd6058d15f06d801ec7a3d6/make/hotspot/lib/CompileJvm.gmk#L277-L282

to force the recompilation of abstract_vm_version.cpp, in order to get the current __DATE__ and __TIME__ for the build. But use of those macros was eliminated as part of making builds reproducible. Instead it uses the macro HOTSPOT_BUILD_TIME, which is set at configure time. Reconfiguring should trigger recompilation of the world. So it seems like we should no longer need this forced recompile of one file.